Fallen
by Yih
Summary: [COMPLETE Slash: HPxLV, HPxLM, HPxSS] Taken as a child, Harry grows up knowing Nagini as his caretaker and Voldemort as a person that he'd like nothing more than to impress...
1. Fate

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash.  If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it!  It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.  

Beta: Blackumbridge

Additional Note: This is the 3rd version to be posted as for some reason the duplication deleted a 300 word scene.  So if you're rereading this, go back to where the duplication is and you'll see something new.  I have no idea what happened.  

_I_ have fallen  
There is **_no_** escape  
This is my _destiny  
_My **_fate_** is yours  
Do what _you_ will  
I **_am_** yours  
I have _fallen  
_Fallen **_hard_** for you  
_Save_ me  
I **_need_** you  
I _want_ you  
I **_love_** you

1: **Fate** (December 9, 2003)

He knew he could not kill him.  But he knew that he could not let him go.  Their destinies were uniquely entwined for some fateful reason.  If only that stupid mudblood hadn't cast her protective charm over the baby.  Then he could have killed the child.  But he couldn't now, not unless he wanted to risk tampering with possibly the most powerful magic in the world.  Love and blood magic mixed together was simply _too_ strong to overcome.  

He couldn't leave the baby.  If the child fell into the wrong hands, there would simply be hell to pay.  This child, this Potter child was his worst enemy yet his greatest asset.  There was a reason their fates were connected; this boy was going to be a powerful wizard.  No, he simply could not let Harry Potter fall into his enemy's hands.  He had no choice; he had to take the child with him.  

Touching the child should have been painful, Voldemort thought, but it wasn't.  Looking down at the solemn green eyes, Voldemort felt himself almost feel something other than the hatred and vengeance in him.  This child was innocent, pure, and untainted by the world.  It was the first time in decades that someone had looked at him not with fear or hatred or disgust.  It almost made him feel _human_ again.

But why did the touch not hurt?  He had instantly recognized the powerful charm that had taken every bit of Lily's strength to cast to protect her child.  It was not something that could easily be removed, and it would not fade for many years.  So what then?  Why?  Maybe because he meant to do no harm to the child.  The love and blood spell only protected against harm.  It did nothing for indifference or detached obligation.  

Maybe he would take it and he would starve it slowly at his mansion.  That would rid him of the child permanently.  The soft mewling from the baby distracted him on his plans to snuff the life out of it.  Glancing down at those sparkling emerald eyes, he found his reserve to murder the one that had the power to kill him drained.  He could raise this child and make sure that it never turned on him.  Maybe he could even make it love him.  

Reaching with a pale hand, he stroked its cheek.  He was surprised when the baby turned its face to him and seemed to yearn for his touch.  It had been years since anyone had yearned only for his touch.  Oh, he fucked his Death Eaters, especially certain ones that were beautiful to behold--- but it had been a long time that anyone had responded to his touch without wanting something other than a simple physical gesture.  

Lucius Malfoy was especially gifted in bed, Voldemort thought with a smirk.  He would even go as far as to say that Lucius was better in bed than he was as a wizard.  That was a high compliment indeed for Lucius was one of his strongest Death Eaters, and he was still quite young.  The things that he could teach that young man to do excited Voldemort.  But he wasn't delusional.  Lucius might crave his touch, but he also craved power.  

His finger traced Harry's soft pink lips.  Curious how soft this child was.  One day it would grow up and it wouldn't be soft and unbearably sweet.  He didn't even know why he was staring at this intolerably incapable thing.  He had better things to do, like plotting how to conquer Europe and this was an utter waste of time.  There were things that needed to be done, but first--- he had to get rid of the evidence that this child ever existed.  Let Dumbledore think that his greatest asset had died.  

The Dark Lord pointed his wand up at the roof and exclaimed, "_Cremare_!"

Fire shot out of his wand and quickly started burning anything that it touched.  This was the most powerful destruction charm imaginable.  It wouldn't be long before the house burned down and any evidence that the Potter family had once resided at Godric's Hollow was erased.  It gave him precious little time in which to apparate out.  Normally a simple spell like that wouldn't even cause any thought, but he rarely apparated with someone else.  He studied Harry carefully.  He wanted to make sure it arrived to his mansion in one piece.

Once he got there, he could decide whether or not to let it live or to simply let it die.  

"_Apparate!_"

There was only one creature he trusted with his life, his soul, his very existence.  {Nagini,} Voldemort hissed once he'd apparated into his mansion.  {I have a task for you.}

His faithful and loyal serpent slithered out from underneath a pile of pillows that graced the middle of his lair.  The room had been created and designed especially for Nagini's pleasure.  It was almost as lavished as Voldemort's own bedroom, almost but not quite.  He would have done so if Nagini had desired, but Nagini hadn't.  

{Yes, Tom?}

Nagini was the only one that he allowed to dare call him by the name his mother had given him.  He didn't mind that name, but he did despise his muggle surname.  His muggle father hadn't deserved his precious mother's love.  He removed his cloak to show Nagini the infant he'd brought back.  

{You must take care of the child,} Voldemort declared.  {No one else must know yet that it lives.}

Rising up to her full and impressive height, Nagini wrapped her neck carefully and tightly around the baby so that it was in a snug hold.  {I have it.}

Voldemort released his hold and watched his favorite serpent cradle the young child like it were the most precious thing.  He guessed it made sense that Nagini would be maternal.  She had never gotten the chance to raise her own young because she was too busy caring for him, guiding him, and teaching him.  This would give her a chance to be a mother to a real child, something he had never been.   

{You must take care of the child,} Voldemort declared.  {No one else must know yet that it lives.}

Rising up to her full and impressive height, Nagini wrapped her neck carefully and tightly around the baby so that it was in a snug hold.  {I have it.}

Voldemort released his hold and watched his favorite serpent cradle the young child like it were the most precious thing.  He guessed it made sense that Nagini would be maternal.  She had never gotten the chance to raise her own young because she was too busy caring for him, guiding him, and teaching him.  This would give her a chance to be a mother to a real child, something he had never been.  

{Take care of it.}

{I will,} she promised, placing the baby gently on one of the fluffier pillows.  Her tail wrapped around a blanket and she jerked it toward where it was resting.  Pulling the blanket over it, she tucked it in tightly.  {You have nothing to worry about Tom.}

He nodded.  He knew that.  If he didn't have Nagini, he didn't know what he'd do.  There were times that he wished that Nagini wasn't a serpent, but then if she hadn't been--- they wouldn't have the special relationship that they had.  He was the only wizard in the world that could speak to her.  That made him irreplaceable and secured his position.  

Striding out of the room, he remembered that he'd left some of his important papers in his bedroom.  He grimaced when he thought that even as the Dark Lord, he still couldn't quite escape the necessary paperwork.  Not that it was bureaucracy like the Ministry of Magic, most of it were detailed plans for attack.  Now that the Potters had been eliminated, he'd move on to other prominent Light wizarding families.  

He flicked his hand toward the door, not even bothering to take his wand out of the leather holder that he kept tethered to his thigh.  Why bother?  It wasn't well known, but he was almost as proficient with wandless magic as he was with wand magic.  It did take more out of him though.  To be the most efficient, he ought to use his wand.  But this was so small and he liked to used wandless magic to keep him used to using it.  

There was no telling when a wizard might lose his wand in a battle or a duel.  He liked to think that he didn't need his wand.  He liked to keep that ability from going rusty.  He used it whenever he could, whenever there was no one around.  It was his special weapon.  He didn't need to go revealing it to everyone.  Not even to his Death Eaters.  

Once he was in his room, he immediately crossed the room toward his desk where a pile of scrolls were strewed around.  It was as he was about to grab the scroll he was looking for that he heard a distinctive moan.  His crimson eyes narrowed as he knew where that sound was coming from and who it was coming from.  The scroll laid there forgotten while he moved in the opposite direction to his elaborate four poster bed.  

Lucius.  He should have known.  The brief flare of anger that he'd felt rise up in his blood faded when he saw the delectable site that Lucius made stroking himself to orgasm.  He was displeased that his lover had decided to masturbate in his bed, but he was willing to forgive Lucius when he made such a delicious vision.  Yes, he'd forgive Lucius but the arrogant Malfoy would have to plead.  Beg for it.  

"Lucius," Voldemort hissed, seeming to glide across the empty space in a flash.  "You are not suppose to be here, you slut."  

Slowly Lucius opened his steel gray eyes.  "I missed you," Lucius moaned, continuing to pump his hard glistening penis.  He was so close, so very close to coming.  "And I knew," Lucius murmured lasciviously and suggestively, "you'd be coming."  

Voldemort whispered a binding spell, watching with malicious glee when Lucius groaned as his hands were ripped from his groin and bound to his side.  Reaching into a drawer next to the bed, he pulled out a cock ring that he fastened tightly around Lucius's throbbing arousal.  "You should have learned," Voldemort replied darkly, "that you should never assume."  

"I--- thought this would--- please you," Lucius gasped, his eyes rolling back into his head as he had been on the verge of a powerful orgasm that had been stopped.  It was painful, exquisitely painful.  "I only wish to--- please you, Master."

"Oh you please me," Voldemort murmured, his hand tracing down Lucius's muscular and well formed body until he reached Lucius's hard-on.  Rubbing his thumb hard over Lucius's slick head, he grinned cruelly.  If Lucius hadn't been under the powerful binding spell, he would have expected Lucius to be thrusting his hips up desperately.  Not that it would do him much good.  He couldn't come with the cock ring on.  

"I'm glad," Lucius panted, his eyes glazed over with desire and need.  "Please," he begged.  "Please, Master?"  

"You beg so prettily," Voldemort remarked, his forefinger and his thumb pinching Lucius's head lightly.  "But you still need to learn not to ever come into my rooms without my expressed permission."  

As much as he would like to fuck Lucius raw and sore, this was something that was necessary.  Besides, Lucius needed to learn some self control!  Lucius was possibly his most talented Death Eater, but his lack of restraint would doom him.  Getting what he wanted when he wanted it was the problem.  Voldemort wasn't going to give it to him this time.  It might please his ego tremendously to be wanted by this beautiful young man, but he hadn't gotten to where he was without his impressive control.  

"I am not going to fuck you," he stated coldly.  He removed his hand from his lover's arousal and moved his fingers up to his mouth so that Lucius could clean his fingers.  "You need to learn some goddamn restraint, Lucius.  You are a Malfoy, or have you forgotten?  Or are you merely a whore now?"

Lucius licked Voldemort's fingers compliantly, but narrowed his eyes at that sharp insult.  "I am not a whore," Lucius sneered with that condescending tone that all Malfoys seemed to be born with.  Voldemort was glad to hear it even if he didn't like it directed at him.  There was one reason that Lucius was going to be his most talented Death Eater in and out of bed.  It was because Lucius had such a high opinion of himself and would not allow himself to be anything less than the best.  

"Then prove it," Voldemort countered, his hand caressing Lucius's silky skin.  "Prove it to me, Lucius."  

"How?" Lucius asked, the fire of determination in his eyes.  "How, my Lord?"

"By showing some self-control," Voldemort responded harshly.  "I don't trust you not to bring yourself off if I release you from the cock ring, that would be too much to ask you.  But I'm going to leave you here for an hour while I deal with some issues and when I come back I expect you to be able to play with yourself but not come, understand?"

"Yes," Lucius answered hoarsely, his eyes still determined though weary.  

"And I expect you to make it painfully hard to not come."  

"I understand, my Lord."  

Voldemort chuckled darkly and lowered his head so that he could give Lucius a bruising kiss.  It was not gentle, not at all.  It was brutal and meant to show Lucius who was in charge and who was in control.  "One hour, Lucius."  

{How is it?} Voldemort asked when he entered into Nagini's lair for the first time in a week after having dropped the child off.  He knew that Nagini was perfectly capable of taking care of it and had not worried about it.  While she wasn't able to feed the baby by herself, a house elf was more than able to handle that.  They were too eager by far.  He had never seen his house elves so overjoyed.  It was rather unpleasant.  

Nagini wrapped her body around her Tom's waist and rested her head against his cheek.  {He is fine.  There is something that you should know though.}

{What is it?} Voldemort questioned a little impatiently.  She should know he hated it when he had to ask her to tell him something.  It was a waste of his time, and his time was precious.  He still hadn't found a way yet to make himself eternally immortal.  He could delay his death, certainly, but immortal youth still eluded him.  

{He can speak.}

Speak?  But that was impossible!  {Not possible.  He's not a Slytherin.  Besides, he's too young.}

{Yes,} Nagini agreed, {he is still too young yet, but he hisses when he wants something.  It doesn't make any sense yet.  He doesn't have the right thoughts to form words, but he hisses perfectly.  He will be able to speak when he grows up.}

{He could be mimicking you,} Voldemort responded reflectively, {children can do that.  Mimic their elders.}

{No child I've seen, and I have seen several have ever been able to mimic parseltongue!}

He stroked under her jaw, her favorite spot to be caressed in a reassuring way.  {So you really think he will be able to speak when he grows up?}  He decided to let her think that, it would do no harm.  And Nagini was notoriously stubborn about things that she believed in.  If she hadn't been, he wouldn't have turned out the way he had.  She was his anchor and his mentor.  Without her, he'd be lost.  

{Yes,} she hissed with certainty.  {He will.}

Voldemort glanced down passively at the child.  It didn't look extraordinary.  Other than its vivid green eyes, it was like any normal baby.  Well, he supposed it was odd.  He had never heard it really cry.  Sometimes it whimpered, but it was too muffled for him to tell if it had been hissing or not.  While the walls of the mansion were thick, if it really tried to cry with Nagini's lair next to his bedroom he would be able to hear it quite well.  

He just hoped that this ordinary child didn't disappoint Nagini.  What were the chances that this Potter child was a parseltongue?  He knew for a fact that parselmouths were restricted to the Slytherin bloodline.  And he was the only and the last Slytherin heir.  It was impossible for this child, it to be of the Slytherin bloodline, simply impossible!

{Maybe he is your brother,} Nagini considered.  {Then you would have a real family.}

Brother to Nagini didn't mean the same thing to her that it would mean to wizards.  She thought that anyone that shared similarities were kindred.  Like she considered any python a sister or brother to her.  It didn't mean blood relative at all.  {It is not my brother,} Voldemort hissed.  {It is the bane of my existence.}

{If he is,} Nagini countered, {then why is he still alive?} 

Insightful question.  Why hadn't he killed the child?  He had been thinking quite a bit of ways to put it out of its misery without causing him any harm.  Simply put, the only solution was to starve it slowly.  That kind of death was excruciatingly painful.  It was something that he'd think of and instigate.  

It was then that it's eyes opened and he was again pulled into the innocent pools.  It was while he was drowning in the pureness that he heard it hiss at him.  Reaching out with its weak arms, it hissed at him.  What did it want?  He didn't understand.  It kept hissing, kept holding out its arms.  

{He wants you to hold him.}

Didn't it understand?  It was his enemy.  He was its enemy!  Stupid child.   It kept hissing.  Maybe Nagini was right.  Maybe it would be a parselmouth, but how?  He would have to explore in his older tomes.  Maybe he could find a spell.  If it was a parselmouth, it had to be from the Slytherin bloodline.  But from a Potter?  Unbelievable.  Was it possible that the virtuous Lily Evans had cheated on her husband?  Still, that was no answer.  There was no other Slytherin descendant in the world but him and he had never shagged a girl.  

They simply did not appeal.  

{Hold him.}

He reached down and picked up the hissing child.  It immediately stopped hissing and smiled.  What a silly thing.  It should be trying to get as far away from him as it could.  But no, it was smiling at him like it was happy to be in his arms.  He was mesmerized.  It was fascinating.  Incredibly stupid, but beguiling.  

{He likes you.}

{It is stupid.}

Nagini chuckled in the way that snakes did, hissing faster and in a manner that was gibberish.  {No he's not.  He's very intelligent.  Right now he's charming you because he knows that you hold his life in your hands.  If he was stupid, he'd be crying and irritating you.  But he's not is he?}

It wasn't.  She had a point.  He narrowed his eyes.  Was it that clever?  Maybe.  If it was, it deserved to live.  Well, it deserved to live until he found out how it could speak in gaa goo goo parseltongue.  Until then, he'd let it live.  And if he did find out it was a Slytherin, he'd have to stop calling it, it, wouldn't he?  Because no descendant of Salazar Slytherin was an _it_.  

Poem Note: It's written by me.  You steal it your dead like as in dead meat, got it?  So what did you think?  I thought it suited the "story" quite well and it helps explain the title in a clear, discernible way.  

Author's Note: I like this story.  I like it so much I've already completed chapters 2 & 3 and have started on chapter 4.  So guess what that means?  I'm sitting and waiting for reviews, and if I like your awesome and spectacular reviews I'll release faster.  How does that sound?  I mean… it's all up to you.  Reviews make my very happy and when I'm happy I write more.  No reviews makes my muse discontent and well it tends to die when it's discontent.  It's happen to Hunted, In Preparation, Darkworld, and To the Point of Exhaustion and it can happen to this story.  That having been said and exampled unnecessarily click on the GO button to review!

Title Note: I finally decided to release this under the title of **Fallen** even though I have it saved as _Darkness_ and I considered calling it _Circumstance_ (as in the circumstance that led Harry to be taken by Voldemort) and then I thought _In the League of Darkness_ then _In the Arms of Darkness_ then _In the Comfort of Darkness_ _then In the Shadows of Darkness_ and then I was thinking… I need something simpler and easier to remember (which was how Circumstance sprung out first) and then I was thinking what is Harry?  A person fallen.  Perfect.  He's fallen.  So thus… Fallen.

Preview Reviewers: You rock!  You totally made me write ahead!  So keep up the good work!  Also SPECIAL THANKS to **_Artemisu_**, **_Hcorellian_**, and **_Malakai_** who all got the pleasure of reading the first three chapters and telling me to WRITE MORE WRITE MORE. Now they get to wait uber long for updates.  Thanks **andro_chan**, **carya**, **tempestas_lamia**, **a trio of anonymous**, **bramblerose_pf**, and **eaivalefay**.  


	2. Growth

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash.  If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it!  It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.  

Beta: Blackumbridge

Additional Note: Go reread Chapter 1 where there was a duplication, somehow a 300 word scene was replaced by the duplication.  

_I_ have fallen  
There is **_no_** escape  
This is my _destiny  
_My **_fate_** is yours  
Do what _you_ will  
I **_am_** yours  
I have _fallen  
_Fallen **_hard_** for you  
_Save_ me  
I **_need_** you  
I _want_ you  
For I **_love_** you

2: **Growth** (December 10, 2003)

He was afraid that when Harry grew up that he would have problems speaking everyday speech since he'd grown up primarily speaking parseltongue with Nagini and himself.  But Nagini reassured him that if he spoke English with the young child, Harry would respond in kind.  After all, neither he nor Harry truly were consciously aware they were speaking another language until they thought about it.  Parseltongue just happened naturally.  

As always, Nagini was right.  Even though Harry had never spoken a word of English in his life, when Voldemort spoke his name for the first time--- Harry had responded with "Tom."  It seemed he was breaking every rule with this precious child.  He swore no one would ever say his given name, but he allowed Harry.  He also swore he'd never care enough to have a weakness, but Harry was definitely a weakness of his.  

Why he hadn't changed Harry's name still caught him off guard at times.  By all rights, Harry was his and he could have changed his name without the young child ever knowing.  He didn't, it suited the child--- it meant "power."  Besides while he might be considered a parental figure to Harry, Harry didn't consider him one.  Harry saw Nagini as his mother and his caretaker, "Tom" was a friend and a playmate.  He guessed that was only right since he saw Harry infrequently.  

He couldn't very well spend his days with the brilliant child without being questioned.  A Dark Lord had considerable busywork.  It was annoying.  He was supposed to be killing mudbloods and their supporters, but half the time he was stuck behind a desk with a terrible load of paperwork.  No wonder the Ministry was so ineffectual.  And oh yes, Harry was brilliant.  There was no doubt.  And there was a reason… every _true_ Slytherin was.  

It had taken him months to find the spell, but when he had--- he'd hardly been surprised when the spell had confirmed that Harry was part of the Slytherin bloodline.  He descended all the way to Salazar Slytherin through his daughter while Voldemort descended from the son.  They had both inherited Salazar's dark good looks, Voldemort mused as he studied the calm image Harry made drawing a portrait of Nagini.  

Surprising though when he thought what a waste it had been to kill Lily Evans.  No wonder she'd been such a powerful witch.  No muggleborn could be that strong nor that brilliant.  Voldemort sighed inside as he took a seat behind where Harry was sitting.  He enjoyed watching the young boy.  It reminded of him of something more peaceful, more pleasant than he'd grown accustomed too.  It was a nice difference.  

{Very nice,} Nagini commented as she rested her head on Harry's shoulder.  {You're very talented at drawing.}

Harry smiled.  It still amazed Voldemort _how_ Harry still radiated innocence after associating as closely as he did with him.  Then again, he did keep Harry awfully protected.  Harry had never once set foot outside of the mansion, not once in his 5 years.  It was too dangerous.  No one must learn of Harry's presence, not when he was a weakness to him, not until he was strong enough to defend himself.  Then, then Voldemort would show the world his protégée.  

{Thank you,} Harry responded, putting the finishing touches on the snake he'd drawn.  

Yes, Harry did show extraordinary talent for drawing.  He'd already begun to read, and Voldemort had found a difficult time finding beginning magic books for Harry to devour.  He couldn't very well go out and buy some without questions being raised.  He'd had a devil of a time hunting around in the attic for his old Hogwarts books, but he'd found them.  The reward for finding them had been worth the time spent.  

Harry had surpassed his wildest expectations when he'd performed a few of the first year spells without a wand.  He hadn't thought that Harry would even be capable of doing any magic without a wand, but he thought it wouldn't hurt to give the capable child some solid magical background.  He still debated on whether or not he'd be sending Harry to Hogwarts or not.  He knew without a doubt Harry's name was on the list.  If there was a child that was meant for Hogwarts, it was Harry.  

He was distracted from his thoughts when he felt Harry's hand tug at his robes.  He hadn't thought that Harry had known he was in the room, but he should never underestimate him.  He found himself somewhat smiling at the pure child, wondering what Harry wanted.  {I want to show you something,} Harry hissed.  {I learned this today.}

Voldemort nodded encouragingly, finding himself intrigued by whatever Harry wanted to show him.  Harry might be a child, but he was an incredibly creative not to mention strong wizard for his age.  Waving his hand as he shouted, {_Movere!_}  The serpent started swaying rhythmically, what was even more impressive was that the snake moved wherever Harry moved his hand.  Clever.  Clever boy.

{Very good,} Voldemort complimented him sincerely.  {I'm very impressed.}

Smiling good-naturedly, Harry handed the piece of paper to him.  {This is for you.  It's your present.}

{My present?}

Harry nodded happily.  {Nagini told me it was your birthday.  Happy birthday!}  

Voldemort was reminded then and there that no matter how talented or mature that Harry was at most times, he was still a child.  Launching himself at Voldemort, Harry wrapped his short arms surprisingly strongly around his waist.  Before Voldemort knew what Harry intended to do, Harry had kissed him affectionately on the lips.  

The kiss wasn't sexual, and it was a kiss like nothing that Voldemort had ever experienced before.  This was a kiss of innocent love, not stained with dark sexual desires.  It was strangely sweet and moving.  Voldemort suppressed the urge to laugh bitterly, if he had gotten love like that when he was younger would he have turned out to be the most powerful Dark Lord since Grindelwald?  

He didn't know.  It was something to ponder.  

"I've been waiting for you," Lucius declared in a smooth and controlled voice.  It had taken five years, but Voldemort was very pleased with the way that Lucius was turning out.  He would never be his protégée, that position was reserved for Harry, but Lucius was an extremely worthy right hand man.  "I believe it's your birthday, is it not?"  Of course Lucius knew it was.  "I have something special for you."

Voldemort didn't doubt he did.  Every year since Lucius had come under his service, he had given him a gift.  He was the only Death Eater who dared, but then being the favorite gave him some security and presumption.  Every year it was the same gift, only twisted and more tempting than the last.  It still staggered him how  original Lucius could be about sex after all the things they'd done.  

"And it's not the usual."  

That was certainly surprising.  Lucius usually never missed the opportunity to get into his bed, and he was normally more obliging when it was on his birthday.  Perhaps he felt that way because Lucius was the only one who went out of his way thinking of a gift for him.  He enjoyed the thought and the inevitable pleasure that it led to.  Raising an eyebrow up, Voldemort asked softly, "Then what?"  

Lucius withdrew a small package from inside his cloak and waved his wand over it.  The shrunken package immediately grew into a marvelously wrapped present.  Voldemort eyed it with detached indifference even though inside he was far from disinterested.  What could Lucius have possibly gotten him that he didn't already have in some form or fashion?  It was intriguing to say the least.

"Go ahead," Lucius murmured.  "Open it, my Lord."  He reached for it and was about to shred the wrapping with his wand when Lucius stopped him.  "Open it with your hands.  I didn't spend the time wrapping it personally to have you take it apart with magic.  I want you to actually open one.  You haven't before, have you?"

He hadn't, but how did Lucius know that?  He might trust Lucius more out of all his Death Eaters, but he didn't _trust_ Lucius that much.  But since Lucius had gone through the trouble of wrapping it, and as he rested his hands on it--- he could tell that Lucius wasn't lying.  He had wrapped it personally and without magic.  Remarkable.  He didn't know that Lucius knew how to wrap presents the muggle way.  

"If it so pleases you," Voldemort murmured carelessly as he untied the various ribbons and started tearing away at the paper with efficiency.  While he remained detached, his anticipation was building when he'd finished ripping away at the gift wrapping.  Lifting the lid off the box, his eyes widened with shock.  Where had Lucius found this?  

"I thought it would please you, my Lord--- my lover," Lucius whispered softly, his arms wrapping around Voldemort's waist and his lips descending toward his Lord's neck where he kissed it.  "You know that I love you."  

Staring down at a book that he thought he'd never see ever.  Rumors had been spread that it existed, but Voldemort had never found it.  Never in all his searches through the wizarding world, he had never managed to find a trace of it.  How had Lucius?  His eyes narrowed.  It seemed that Lucius had been keeping secrets from him.  Should he punish him?  No one wisely kept secrets from him, especially not this--- _The Dark Arts of Salazar Slytherin._

He placed the book reverently back into the velvet lined box and whirled around in such swift manner that he managed to pin Lucius underneath him.  Glancing down with rage in his eyes, he was surprised to see a warmth and a desperation he'd never seen in Lucius's steel gray eyes before.  So Lucius loved him?  He hid the cruel smile that wanted to grace his lips.  If it was ever foolish to love someone, it was to love him.  He loved no one.  He didn't have that _ability._

"You are foolish," Voldemort hissed.  "But you are very good."  He saw the relief and the longing cross Lucius face before he bent his head down to capture Lucius's lips in a kiss of domination.  It was the direct opposite of the innocent kiss that Harry had given him.  This kiss was about possession and everything that was dark desire.  He didn't have to coax Lucius to open his mouth, he did so willingly.

His tongue invaded Lucius's mouth while his hands ripped away at Lucius's trousers.  Lucius said he loved him, but he knew the truth.  Lucius craved his touch.  Lucius didn't know how to love anything but sex.  Neither did he.  He'd give Lucius what he wanted.  A small part of him thought he should punish Lucius, but then again--- who knew what else Lucius might possess?  Maybe he could play with Lucius's _theory_ of love.  What else did Lucius have that he needed?  

Love could be a tiresome thing.  Love could also be a brilliant manipulation of power.  Love could be the ultimate downfall.  A malicious gleam glistened in his crimson eyes, it was good that Lucius was too busy moaning to realize that Voldemort wasn't making a sound--- that he was functioning in an entirely mechanical way--- a way that he knew would elicit the loudest, most frenzied screams from his foolish lover.  

He snuggled against the cool scales of Nagini's sleek sides.  {Do you think he liked it?}

{He liked it,} she assured him, her tail wrapping around his waist comfortably.  {The drawing was very well done.  I was very pleased with how you captured me.  No one has ever done a portrait of me.}

{Why not?} he asked with a child's curiosity.

{Because I am a serpent,} she explained simply.  {Portraits aren't made of snakes.}

{You're more than a snake though,} he protested.  {You're my mentor--- my mother.}

Her tongue flicked out to touch the tip of Harry's nose.  It was the closest thing to a kiss that she could give to him.  {And you are my child,} she hissed possessively, her tail tightening around him.  {You are my Harry.}

He rubbed his cheek slowly up and down her side.  {I love you, Nagini.}

She placed her head down on his cheek.  {I love you too.}  

{Nagini?}

{Yes?}  

His piercing green eyes gazed into her yellow ones with a determined intensity.  It was the same kind of concentration that she'd often seen in Tom.  {Can I ask you something?}

{You can ask me anything.}

{Why can't I go outside?}  

When he asked his question, she took note of how unnaturally pale his skin was.  It was ghostly white since he had never had the sun touch his skin.  She knew that it must be hard for him to be cooped up in her lair all the time, but it was for his safety and for Tom's.  If anyone learned he existed, it could be used against her Tom.  And as precious as Harry was to her, Tom was her Master, her Lord, her Everything.  

{It is not safe for you,} she told him gently.  {If it was, you would be able to go outside.  Do you doubt us, Harry?  We only want to keep you safe from harm.  The outside world can be a very dangerous place.}

He nodded slowly.  {I wish though,} he whispered softly, {to be able to see it once.  I don't even want to go far.  I just want to step aside once, Nagini.  I don't even know how the sun feels.}

She flicked her tongue out understandingly.  It was a lot to ask of Harry.  To stay locked up in a dim room most of the day and then only late at night being able to wander around parts of the mansion.  While Harry showed abnormal maturity, he was still a child first and foremost.  Maybe she ought to ask Tom to let Harry out one day.  

{I'll speak to Tom.}

{Would you?}

{I will,} she promised.  {Now go to sleep Harry.  It's quite late and you need your rest.}

{Yes, Nagini.  Good night.  Sweet dreams.}

{Good night, Harry,} she murmured.  {Pleasant dreams to you too.}

She waited until he'd fallen into the steady breathing pattern that indicated he'd hit deep sleep.  Once she was certain that if she moved that he wouldn't wake up, she slithered out of the room and made her way to Voldemort's bedroom.  She wasn't surprised to hear Lucius's typical moaning; she only hoped that the silencing charms that Voldemort had placed on and around her lair were strong enough to deflect Lucius's scream of satisfaction.  

Really for such an elegant man, he was entirely too vocal when he was being shagged by her Tom.  She waited until the noise had died down a bit before slipping into the master bedroom.  She made sure to not flick her tongue too much, she didn't need to smell the scent of sex.  The visualization she was sure to see was quite enough.  

{Tom,} she hissed as she made her way toward the majestic bed.  {I need to talk to you.}

Voldemort lifted his head up from the bed and she was glad to see that Lucius's form was covered by the silken sheets.  She had made good timing, she concluded.  They had finished whatever they'd started though they probably weren't done.  She knew for a fact that Lucius never left until daybreak when he spent the nights, which was fairly often.  As often as Voldemort would allow him.  

{Yes, Nagini?} his voice was languid, tired from being thoroughly satisfied.  At least the insufferable Malfoy was good for something.  She might not like the arrogance the Malfoy man showed, but as long as he continued to please her Tom she would endure his condescending attitude.  

{There is something I must ask you to do.}

{You know that all you need to do is ask.}

She could see that Lucius's interest was piqued, it was horribly sweet that he didn't have any idea what they were talking about.  Even if she could talk in human tongue, she much preferred the sensuality of her own language.  {Harry has asked me why he is never allowed outside.  I think that he should be allowed outside once in a while.  He has never felt the sun on his skin, Tom.}

Voldemort realized this.  But it was also dangerous.  That was why he'd never dared to take Harry out at broad daylight, and well at night he was otherwise occupied.  When he didn't take Lucius to his bed, he was tied up making plans to conquer the wizarding world.  The time that he made almost everyday to see Harry was usually in the mornings before the demands of his job became urgent.

{I will consider it.}

{You know that he needs to go out.  He's pale like death,} she hissed assertively.  She could be quite demanding and domineering when she needed to be.  If she hadn't been, she never would have reined in some of Tom's less brilliant plans.  {He's a young boy, Tom.  He needs to do what boys do.  Play around in the sun.}

{You agreed with me initially that it wasn't a good idea for Harry to go outside, that it was too dangerous!  Are you now a hypocrite, Nagini?}

She narrowed her yellow eyes into menacing slits.  There was no one but her that would give Tom a piece of her mind.  She had no reason to fear him.  Even if he was royally enraged with her, she did not fear for life.  She knew he would never kill her.  He couldn't.  If he did, it would be like ripping himself apart.  She didn't assume her importance to him; she knew.  

{No, but he's older now.  Before he was young.  He can perform some magic.  When you get him a wand, I know he'll be able to perform defensive spells.  And you can always perform a glamour charm on him if you're so afraid of someone recognizing him.}

{I will consider it,} he repeated firmly.  {Now please leave, Nagini.  I know you take no pleasure in seeing what I crave to do to Lucius.}  He was right, she didn't.  

{I want your answer tomorrow morning.}

{You will have it.}  

Author's Note: Your reviews have been awesome!  Keep up the good work.  Finals were depressing, so I'm depressed now.  Wasn't Harry cute?  If you want to know progress or anything or previews of anything go to my livejournal (link is in the profile) and if you want chapter alerts (join the mirror_of_paradox ML also in profile).  And yes, there will definitely be HP/LV slash.  I debate on HP/DM since it's my least favorite Harry/Slytherin pairing to write (obviously I haven't done that much HP/DM), but there may be overtones but it definitely won't be one of the main pairings.  Harry does grow up and whether or not he attends Hogwarts, you'll need to read won't you?  Enjoy and keep reviewing!  

Thanks to sigildagger, Fiera, Creamy Mimi, bramblerose-proudfoot, shelleykids, shamanogler, Kratista, atalante, Lindiel Eryn, Keeper of Destiny, DarkKeeper, Coward in the Shadows, lingzy, angeliccakes, Roma, **marishamarish** (I may convert you!), icechrist, velda, Shuki- aka Quickjewel, **PxW** (I would hope it's not stupid), beba, **Aeslynn** (unfortunately for you the slash will remain), **deliolith** (sorry about the discontinues), **Calimora** (I try), Hele1, Jade Aislin, Jessi Malfoy, **Dmax** (good 1st review), wolfen-alysha-draco-dragon, Zendogy, Sardius-Sky, taggurit, Katums, aerin, bbb, Kata Malfoy, SilveredDeath, Silagui, Pink Cherry Blossom, psycho tabby cat, Grey Malwell, SoulHideaway, holidayinspain, **Colibi** (Maybe I'll convert you), **Susan** (the scar is still under thought and Voldie looks like Tom, I put a description in Ch.4), **Redrum** (my fear is not to finish I haven't gotten past 2 chapters in the LAST 5 stories I've started), Laurel, Xyverz, momma-der, Miss Lesley, Yami no Ichigo, **Vicious Lily** (actually not the first, but still special), kandra, Kathy stgqvk, Katrina Tonk, **wanderingwolf** (thanks for the poem), xirleb70, sylvester, anon, FallenPhoenix721, keebler-elmo, asa-chan

**Clairvoyant Snake:** Harry doesn't want to acknowledge that it is a human, it easier to kill something that's innocent and pure if it's an it!

**Lolita:** Thanks, if you want to send your fanart send it to the email on my ff.net profile!

CJ: And you will find out about Lily Potters, I forget if it's this chapter or the next.


	3. Adolescence

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash.  If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it!  It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta: Blackumbridge

_I_ have fallen  
There is **_no_** escape  
This is my _destiny  
_My **_fate_** is yours  
Do what _you_ will  
I **_am_** yours  
I have _fallen  
_Fallen **_hard_** for you  
_Save_ me  
I **_need_** you  
I _want_ you  
For I **_love_** you

3: **Adolescence** (December 10, 2003 to December 12, 2003) ßdate written

He never saw the light of the sun until he was 7.  It was his birthday present from Voldemort.  As much pleasure as he derived from finally being able to stand in the sun, he took far more joy in the wand that he'd been allowed to get at Ollivander's.  Underneath a terribly obscured glamour and untraceable charm, he'd been secreted by Voldemort to Diagon Alley to buy his wand.  

He was made to look older, old enough to purchase a wand since most children didn't get wands until they were about to attend Hogwarts.  Voldemort had thought it was imperative that he got one now, especially when his wandless magic had gotten out of hand when he'd tried to perform some of the more difficult spells.  Harry had been keenly disappointed to realize there were limitations to his wandless capabilities.  

"It is nothing to be ashamed of.  You are young, Harry.  Your magic will continue to grow as you grow.  Even I experienced limitations when I was learning magic, and you are far more advanced than I was at your age."  

Nagini had told him the same thing.  That he had nothing to worry about, he would grow and his powers would grow with him.  Maybe he was being foolish, but there was nothing more that he wanted to do than to impress Voldemort.  He worshipped the stately older wizard with an unreachable passion.  He only wished he could spend more time with him, but Voldemort was always away.  Always gone.  Rarely present.  

That's why his 7th birthday had been so special.  His subsequent birthdays had failed to live up to that one, but they hadn't been bad.  It was just so much had happened on his 7th.  He'd gotten to see the sun and he'd been able to really control his magic.  What a difference trying to perform magic was when there was a wand to focus through!  Spells that he'd once had trouble with he conquered and he moved onto harder ones.  

{You are reading again,} Nagini commented approvingly.  She actively encouraged him to be the best wizard he could be.  It was at her recommendations that he'd been allowed to move past Voldemort's set of Hogwarts textbooks to his personal library.  While a good part of it was off limit and out of sight, there was a good portion that he was allowed to peruse through.  {Learn any new spells today?}

{No,} Harry answered, not bothering to look up.  There was just a bit more that he needed to read.  {I've finished the last tome, and Tom hasn't given me permission to look at the more advanced texts.  He said to wait until he got back from France.}  

Astonishing how gifted Harry was, Nagini reflected as she observed with a critical eye her beautiful son.  She had raised him from ten years and he was as much a part of her blood as her own flesh and blood would have been if she had ever been a mother.  Who cared if he was human and not a snake?  It didn't matter.  She loved him fiercely and as much as Tom. 

{What are you reading then?}

He lifted up the book, _Hogwarts, A History._  {I thought I should read up on my future school.}

Even though he said this in a calm voice, she saw through his solemn expression.  He was dreadfully excited.  She read him like a book, much like she could read through Voldemort's disdained and indifferent face.  It had been awfully difficult to convince Voldemort to allow Harry to go to Hogwarts.  It was certainly a risk.  She had told him that Harry could pose as Voldemort's heir and son, since Harry _was_ a Slytherin and he looked eerily similar to Voldemort.  

Both Voldemort and Harry had protested vehemently against it.  That idea had been scratched until she'd come up with the idea for Voldemort to register Harry as a lost orphan with the Ministry of Magic that he currently had on its knees and in all but name, controlled.  But what name to use?  Voldemort rejected using Riddle as Harry's surname, and it went unspoken that he couldn't use anything that even mildly connected him to his past.  

It was better for Harry to never know that his parents had been killed by Voldemort in cold blood.  All that Harry knew was that he'd been found by Voldemort and kept sequester away since Harry could be used against Voldemort.  Once Harry was strong enough, he would be allowed to come out into the world as the Dark Lord's protégée.  Until then, he had to be kept a secret.  

Harry also knew that he was somehow related to Voldemort, but that they were very distant cousins many times removed.  It explained their similarities in appearance, both were dark headed and had this ethereal beauty.  It really did strike Nagini at times at how similar they were.  It was chilling too if Harry turned out to be as powerful as Voldemort guessed that he would be.  What would the world do with two such powerful dark wizards?  

{What house do you think I'll be sorted into?}  

{Slytherin,} she answered without hesitation.  

Harry ran his finger over the golden engraving that said: _Harry Marvolo.  _A compromise had been reach by Nagini and Voldemort that Harry would take Marvolo as his surname instead of Riddle.  It was less distasteful to Voldemort yet it still undeniably connected Harry in some way to Voldemort.  While a good number of wizards didn't know Tom Marvolo Riddle as Lord Voldemort, the one wizard that did was still the Headmaster at Hogwarts.  

Voldemort wanted it clear to Dumbledore when Harry entered the school that Harry was his and he dared Dumbledore to try and sway Harry from him.  It wouldn't work.  Harry was too deeply attached to him.  And when Harry said he loved him, Voldemort strangely believed him in a way he never quite believed Lucius.  Even after all the years Harry had spent in his dark presence, he'd still retained this intangible purity.  

{I could end up in Ravenclaw,} Harry mused aloud.  {I am rather bookish.}  
  
{That is a possibility,} she conceded, {but as an Heir of Slytherin, I would say you will be in Slytherin.  It is only proper.}

{But what if I don't?} Harry asked with a slight trace of worry.  {Do you think Tom will be upset?}

If serpents could sigh, she would have.  But she couldn't.  It was always about pleasing Tom, wasn't it?  {He won't be upset.  He will understand.  You have nothing to worry about whether you end up in Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff--- are you still his protégée.}

{What if the others don't like me?}

She understood his concern.  Harry had never interacted with anyone but herself and Tom, and neither of them were anything like the children that he would have to interact with when he got to Hogwarts.  It was going to be a shock to him.  It was a pity she wasn't allowed to accompany him to Hogwarts.  Why were snake familiars not allowed?  Simply because most wizards couldn't speak parseltongue?  A silly prejudice.  

{Why wouldn't they like you?}  Nagini tilted her head in perplexity.  She didn't understand.  She thought Harry was a lovely boy.  {You are a very sweet boy.}

{I'm worried,} Harry responded with grave trepidation.  {I have never interacted with anyone of my own age.  What if they think I'm odd?  I don't feel like them.}  He gestured to the pictures of wizard children waving their wands excited and enthusiastically as they boarded the Hogwarts Express.  {And I hate speaking English.  It's such an unemotional language.  So stripped from true feeling.}

{You know you must speak it.  It is your language, the language of your kind.  And you do not have to worry.  You know that Tom has servants of his that have children that attend Hogwarts.  I will tell him to command them to be nice to you, to treat you with the utmost respect as you deserve to be.}

{No!} Harry cried out vehemently.  {I don't want them to be commanded to respect me.  I want to command that…..} his eyes got a dreamy and faraway look {like Tom does.  I want to be like him.}

Nagini hissed approvingly, her eyes glowing with her approval.  {You will.}

{I hope so.}

He didn't have to look up.  He knew who had apparated directly into his office.  There were only two Death Eaters he trusted to allow them free rein to apparate into his personal rooms.  However, Lucius's magical signature was quite different from Bellatrix's.  Maybe it was because they'd been lovers for more than ten years and he just could recognize Lucius without thinking.  

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.  Lucius knew that he was only suppose to apparate here when he requested his presence and at no other such time unless something urgent came up.  There was no such possibility.  He knew very well what Lucius wanted.  Lucius's insatiability was usually a good thing, but sometimes it could be very bothersome.  

Voldemort felt Lucius's hands settle on his shoulders and slide down to his sides.  "You know why I'm here," Lucius murmured huskily into his ear.  Bending his head, Lucius nipped at his neck playfully.  "We haven't been alone for the past week."

"I've been busy," Voldemort stated coldly, standing up from the seat and whirling around and pinning Lucius's hands above his head.  As he thought, Lucius didn't look concern.  For a domineering and arrogant man, Lucius certainly enjoyed being dominated by him.  Then again, who else could claim to be Voldemort's lover for the past decade?  "And you do have a _family_, Lucius."  

He stressed his family because Lucius's young heir and son was important to his future plans.  When the time came, when Harry went to Hogwarts he planned to have Harry introduced as his protégée and he wanted Draco to watch out for Harry's interest.  He had met Lucius's young son on occasion and had found the son exactly like the father--- very capable and strong.  It was exactly what Harry needed.  No one would walk over his Harry.  

"And I spend time with them," Lucius answered.  "But I also need to spend time with you, my Lord.  You know how I ache for you."  

"Your ass aches for me," Voldemort responded crudely.  "That can easily be remedied."

"Yes it can," Lucius agreed, "by you."  

"I am not going to satisfy your whim," Voldemort retorted harshly, releasing Lucius's arms since he would need his wand to be able to apparate out.  "I have things to do.  Leave."  

Lucius's hands moved up his lover's sinewy chest and started rubbing the love spots that he knew would drive Voldemort mad with lust.  He knew every part of his Lord's body.  He knew how to turn the Dark Lord on with a measured caress or a passionate kiss.  It was the same with how Voldemort knew how to turn him on with only a look of fiery desire in those crimson orbs.  

"Lucius," Voldemort growled, though he hadn't moved away from those knowing hands.  "You are an insatiable slut."

Lucius chuckled and moved to remove his robes.  The expensive robes fell to the ground and revealed him in all his naked magnificence.  If there was one thing he admired about Lucius, it was his sculpted body.  It was a thing of beauty.  He really out to teach Lucius a lesson about not bothering him when he said he didn't want to be bothered, but he could spare the time to give into temptation.  After that, he would punish Lucius.  

"You will be punished, Lucius," Voldemort warned just as he pushed Lucius down to his knees and guided the blonde's head toward his growing arousal.  Whatever else he'd been about to say was ripped from his throat when Lucius started sucking his cock.  His hands gripped his talented Lucius, pushing him even more toward his groin.  Lucius knew exactly where to place his tongue and precisely when to suck, but this wasn't going to get him out of his deserved _punishment._

Glancing down to see the platinum blond skillfully deep-throating him, he considered possibly waiting until tomorrow morning to punish him.  But there were things he had to do, and even as much as he would like to fuck Lucius raw--- business had to come before bliss.  That didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the talents of Lucius's mouth before he had to muddle through the tedious chore of manipulating the bumbling fool of a Ministry of Magic.  

"Very good, Lucius," Voldemort murmured.  He tensed his body.  He was close.  "Yesssss, very good."  

He had debated a long while before settling on taking Harry to Diagon Alley undisguised.  Harry did look a good deal like his father, James Potter, but that was only when his hair had been shorter and unruly.  When he'd started growing his hair out last year, it had gotten less wild and more tamed--- it made him not look like James Potter anymore.  Besides, who would deny that Harry was somehow related to him?  Harry had his dark looks and his green eyes, when his eyes had been green.  

If there was anyway to make sure that Harry was treated with the utmost respect that his protégée deserved, it was to go somewhere very public with him.  What better place than Diagon Alley?  He'd probably end up clearing the marketplace, but so be it.  They knew not to bother him.  Every wizard and witch knew who controlled the Ministry of Magic.  Fudge might be the Minister, but _he_ was the real power behind the idiot.  

The only reason he hadn't toppled the Ministry yet was because it would not really give him any more power than he already had.  He had the power and he didn't have the paperwork!  Really, it was genius of him.  He had the wizarding world at his command and he didn't have the daily responsibility that came with it.  That didn't mean he didn't have damn straitlaced wizards that wanted to rid the world of corruption.

Didn't they understand?  As long as there was good, there had to be evil to counteract it.  Good wasn't good if there was no evil to compare it to.  The world would be bland, and it would be a decidedly boring place in which to live in.  At first he thought he wanted to exterminate Dumbledore from the face of the Earth, but then he realized that if he did--- Hogwarts would get a new Headmaster and god forbid if it was that McGonagall witch. 

He shuddered.  He still _remembered _her from his days at Hogwarts.  She hadn't been a Professor then, but one of the Gryffindor Prefects.  She was too straitlaced, and Hogwarts would undoubtedly be more rigid and stern with her presiding over it.  And she was much _preferable_ to Severus Snape.  He had no disillusions about his Potions Master.  Severus was a harsh and difficult and entirely unpleasant man.  

Why he'd become a Professor eluded Voldemort.  He should have become a hermit and live in the dungeons somewhere where he could brew and boil his potions in peace.  That would make the students at Hogwarts much happier.  Unfortunately, he was also the best qualified person in all of Britain to teach the subject.  Too bad his talents didn't spill over to his ability to teach.  Voldemort wouldn't let that bother him, Severus _would_ teach Harry and Harry _would_ excel.  

He had all the confidence in his protégée.  Harry was going to stun Severus on the first day of school.  Harry was possibly the most gifted wizard he knew besides Dumbledore and himself.  He didn't know if Harry would become more powerful than the two of them, but he was certainly on his way to being the next wizard that was near their level of power.  And Harry was his… and not Dumbledore's.  He smiled wickedly.  Yes, the boy was his.  

{I'm ready,} Harry declared, appearing in front of Voldemort dressed in respectable dark green robes that he had personally had tailored for Harry.  He smiled cheerfully at Voldemort and hugged him tightly.  Voldemort still wasn't used to the way Harry was so openly affectionate.  Where the boy had learned it still escaped him.  

{We will be apparating to Diagon Alley,} Voldemort told him casually.  {But you will not be apparating by yourself.}  At Harry's disappointed look, he tousled the dark hair tenderly.  {It's illegal for any wizard underage to apparate.  You will still be able to apparate around the mansion and grounds whenever you wish, but not in public.  Remember that Harry.}

{I will remember.}

{Good,} Voldemort remarked.  {Now hold onto me tightly.  It isn't as easy to apparate with you as when you were a baby, and that's the last time I've apparated with you.}

{I cannot believe that anything would be difficult for you,} Harry scoffed.

Voldemort grinned inwardly, but outwardly he made no expression.  He had taught his protégée well.  {Every wizard has limitations, Harry, but every wizard also has capabilities.  Do not underestimate your opponents.  And put your hood on, Harry.}

Harry pulled his hood on.  {You know I won't.}  

Yes, he knew Harry wouldn't.  _"Apparate!"_  

The feeling of disconnection was only momentary as they landed in the middle of Diagon Alley.  The wizards that were nearby immediately scurried away.  While Voldemort wasn't as widely feared and maligned anymore, after all he had agreed to end the war that had been raging for five years peacefully, he was still given a wide berth.  Everyone knew he was a wizard to be crossed, just as everyone knew that wizards that became too vocal about his manipulations were silenced.  It was not a true democracy, since when was anything?

The whispers were soft, but he heard them.  He knew that Harry heard them as well.  What a way to make an entrance.  But if the Dark Lord couldn't make a magnificent entrance, than who else could?  He was certain they were wondering who the other cloaked figure at his side was.  They would find out shortly.  All they had to do was to wait a moment longer.

{You can pull your hood down.}  Voldemort heard the gasps.  Rumors had it that he was a parselmouth but few wizards had actually heard him speak parseltongue.  Now they were about to get a double dose.  

{Yes, Tom.}  More gasps.  Good.  He wanted this connection linked with Harry and him, that way there would be no doubt that Harry and him were in some way related even if the blood link was very weak.  He wanted no one to go thinking about Harry's age and his name and how he looked very much like James Potter.  

Dumbledore might be a blithering fool, but he wasn't blind.  He was sure that the Headmaster would be curious and make a connection.  He was betting that Dumbledore and the rest of the wizarding world would dismiss it.  Because how could a Ravenclaw and a Gryffindor give birth to a child that was so obviously Slytherin?  

Author's Note: I'm stuck now.  Woohoo.  Made it to Chapter 5 before I got stuck though, so you have a week or two of updates to look forward before a probably drought.  EoE is also stuck as I'm going through a bit of a muse rebellion since I've written so much in so little time.  Tee hee hee.  Finals are still getting me down, but I can't do anything about it anymore.  Harry's 10/11 in this chapter and he was 5 in the last chapter.  

Thanks to **Doneril** (perhaps), Fly-to-your_Dreams, Vicious Lily, aerin, TigerBlak, Allison, Brittany, snowy, Xyverz, kathy stgqk, lillinfields, **Lindiel Eryn** (yes), shelleykids, Lolita, Shuki – aka Quickjewel, anna may, Clairvoyant Snake, bette, simpleinsanity, wanderingwolf, Kateri1, Kata Malfoy, Betsy, **silversfall1** (well laziness –my own- is why I quit writing too), Maxie, ChildofDarkness, Lakoma, Creamy Mimi, marishamarish, atalante, **Redrum** (Henry means power and Harry is derived from Henry), sigildagger, Aeslynn, Hele1, asa-chan, **Birgit Riddle** (there is no DM/HP on HP's side), PxW, Sardius-Sky, anukk, mary north.  

**Queen of Vegetasei**: That's what the pile of blankets are on the floor for.  

**Fiera**: No, he didn't.  I have no idea about Longbottom, I haven't thought that much in advance.

**Calimora**: Well I try to put important details into it.  The book searching shows that Voldemort really cares about Harry that he goes out of his way to please Harry.  Lucius well, elegant Malfoy and all can be undone.  


	4. Hogwarts

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash.  If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it!  It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta: Blackumbridge

_I_ have fallen  
There is **_no_** escape  
This is my _destiny  
_My **_fate_** is yours  
Do what _you_ will  
I **_am_** yours  
I have _fallen  
_Fallen **_hard_** for you  
_Save_ me  
I **_need_** you  
I _want_ you  
For I **_love_** you

4: **Hogwarts** (December 12, 2003 to December 15, 2003)

"Who was the boy you were with?" Lucius demanded.  Voldemort had known that his lover was going to come apparating into the room once the news had broken loose.  He expected no less.  Lucius did pride himself with knowing very intimate details concerning Voldemort that no one else did.  This must be a terrible blow to his ego.  

"Would you like to meet my protégée, Lucius?" Voldemort asked instead.  It was important for Lucius to finally meet Harry, since he intended for Harry to become good friends with Draco.  

Lucius nodded.  "I would."  

{Harry,} Voldemort hissed, turning his head toward the other end of the bedroom that lead to his private library, the library that he rarely let Lucius in.  And when he did, it was only when he was present.  {There is someone that is here to meet you.}

{I'm almost done reading this text,} Harry protested.  {Can it wait a minute?}

{No!}

When Voldemort heard the distinctive sounds of Harry's soft footsteps, he refocused his gaze on Lucius and was pleased to see the shock written on the usually detached Malfoy face.  He did take devious pleasure in appalling Lucius at every opportunity.  It would never do to have Lucius get used to anything.  He wasn't a man to get used to.  He liked everyone to always be aware and prepared for any move he might make.  

"Is he your son?" Lucius asked sharply.  "The rumors are going around that he's your son.  Is he?"  

Voldemort heard the hurt tone.  He knew why.  If Harry was his son, considering his age and that they'd been getting supplies for Hogwarts, that mean that he'd taken another lover while he'd been with Lucius.  It wasn't that he hadn't fucked over Death Eaters on occasional, it was the principal that if he'd had a son--- he'd had another lover he'd been serious about.  Lucius took pride in the fact he was the only wizard or witch that had managed to stay in Voldemort's bed as long as he had.  

"Harry is not my son," Voldemort answered, "but he is my protégée."  It was then that Harry entered into the room.  Even though Harry was allowed to go outside occasionally, his skin was still the color of snow.  {Harry, this is Lucius.}

{It's nice to meet you,} Harry hissed in greeting, extending his hand toward the man like Nagini had taught him to do.  He was disappointed when the older man didn't take his hand, but he figured maybe it was because he was too young?  Was it not appropriate?  He didn't understand.  This older man was as different in appearance as he could be from Voldemort's dark good looks.  He was all silver and blond, sleek and smooth.  

{He doesn't speak parseltongue, Harry.  You have to say it in English.}

So that was why.  Harry was disappointed.  English was such a tiresome language.  "It's nice to meet you, Lucius," Harry murmured effortlessly but without the typical voice inflection a native speaker would have.  Voldemort noted this and decided he would need to start speaking more English with Harry to improve his capability.  

"It's nice to meet you too," Lucius murmured, this time taking the hand that Harry offered.  He shook it tightly and firmly.  As he shook the young man's hand, yes young man because even though Harry was approximately the same age of his son he had a far more powerful aura.  His presence was one of a wizard coming of age, not of a juvenile wizard.  "It's an honor to meet my Lord's protégée."  

Harry nodded and withdrew his hand from Lucius.  He didn't like the way that Lucius was studying him with his steel gray eyes.  It made him feel like he was being stripped.  While Voldemort often looked at him intensely, he didn't feel like he was being thoroughly examined.  Voldemort's stares were more like caresses.  It was something to be looked forward to.  This wasn't.  

Voldemort didn't like the way that Lucius was looking at Harry either.  There was a predatory glint in those liquid silver eyes that he knew only too well.  Lucius was plotting.  He didn't mind Lucius plotting normally, but he didn't appreciate the manipulation being aimed at his Harry.  {You may go Harry.  Take the text and go to Nagini's lair to finish reading.  There are things that I must discuss with Lucius.}

{Yes, Tom,} Harry responded swiftly, running toward the library to grab the book that he'd left in there.  He didn't have to go back out to the bedroom to get to the room that he'd spent most of his years in.  There was a special hallway that connected the rooms.  It had been built especially for him when his intense interest in reading had been discovered.  

Once Voldemort heard the passage door that led to Nagini's lair being opened then shut, he fixed his blood red eyes on his cunning lover.  "What are you thinking about Lucius?"  He deliberately kept his voice even and emotionless.  He was a master of control, something Lucius was getting far better at but still couldn't play at his level.  

"He is a very powerful and very beautiful young man," Lucius admitted.  "I would have to ask where you found him.  He's extraordinary."  He paused and lifted an eyebrow gracefully.  "Another heir of Slytherin?"

"Yes, he is." Voldemort confirmed, seeing no reason not to.  It was imperative that everyone see Harry as being extremely powerful and connected to him in a way that was unbreakable.  He didn't want anyone trying to seduce the boy away from him.  He wanted Dumbledore to think it was a lost cause to try to get to Harry.  He knew of Dumbledore's preference for Gryffindors.  His Harry was certainly not one of those foolish noble brats.  "And I didn't find him."

"Did he fall from the sky?" Lucius joked lightly, leaning up against the wall in a way that maximized the seductive allure of his well formed body.  

"He was given to me," Voldemort responded smoothly, keeping in mind the story that he'd told Harry.  That his parents had died tragically, not a lie, and that he'd been given custody of the boy when he was very young.  That wasn't a lie either.  

Using his influence in the Ministry and several powerful memory charms--- he'd successfully created a profile that listed him as the son of Lily Marvolo.  Not entirely a falsehood either.  What Harry didn't know wouldn't hurt him, and if he did get the curiosity to go looking--- there was paperwork to back up the entire story there.  And he'd made sure all records associated with Harry Potter were dead.

"And," Voldemort continued with a deadly tone, "it's time that you left, Lucius.  Go see to your precious son, Draco.  We both need to get them ready for Hogwarts."

Lucius tilted his head toward Voldemort in recognition.  He did need to get his Dragon ready for Hogwarts.  He might not love his wife, but he did love her for giving him Draco.  Draco was his pride and his joy.  "Then I will leave you, my Lord."  

He turned around and was about to apparate when Voldemort stopped him.  "Lucius."  

The tall blond turned around and glanced at his Lord and his Lover with admiring eyes.  Maybe Voldemort didn't want him to leave?  Maybe he wanted him to stay?  He would prefer to stay a little bit, if his Lord wanted him too.  For his Lord was gorgeous.  The years had been very kind to him, only showing in the steel gray hair that sprinkled his temple.  Other than that he looked in his 40s only.  

"Yes, my Lord?"  

"I want your Draco to become friends with Harry and to make it as natural as possible.  I don't want to have to force this friendship," Voldemort stated smoothly.  "But it would be nice for Harry to have friends that he can trust at Hogwarts, and I think he can very much rely in Draco, can he not?"  

Inclining his head, even though mentally Lucius was thinking that his Dark Lord had stopped him for this?  This young boy?  Not to mention, he resented the fact that Harry had been kept a secret from him all these years.  He was Voldemort's goddamn lover!  "He can rely in Draco," Lucius murmured firmly.  "I will make sure that Draco becomes friends with Harry."  

"Don't push him, I know Harry will be very upset if he knows that someone was forced to become his friend," Voldemort warned.  "I want you to inform Draco that it would be wise to watch out for a dark haired boy with brilliant green eyes that will also be in his year.  That it wouldn't be bad for him to become friends with Harry."  

Since when had the Dark Lord ever cared about someone's feelings?  Lucius gritted his teeth and fought to keep his expression relaxed.  "I understand.  I will tell Draco that there is a boy with immense power and that will no doubt attract Draco to him."

"Draco is a true Malfoy is he not?" Voldemort questioned.  "A Malfoy is always drawn to power."  He reached out and caressed Lucius's cheek.  "Is that not true, my Lucius?"

Lucius drew in a haggard breath.  "It's true."  

Withdrawing his hand, Voldemort stepped behind his desk and sat down.  He leafed through the paperwork that he had to get down to have owled to the Ministry to let them know which laws he would let pass as is or which ones he needed modified.  For a few minutes Lucius waited, not believing that Voldemort would just ignore him like this.  He was a Malfoy; he shouldn't be yearning for anyone's touch but--- there was something definitely magnetic about the Dark Lord.  

Voldemort raised his head when he realized that Lucius still hadn't left.  "You may go."

There was nothing Lucius could do but leave.  When his back was facing Voldemort, he grimaced and gritted his teeth together.  Why could Voldemort dismiss him so easily?  Was he that easy to ignore?  "_Apparate_!"  

-

{Do you have everything?} Nagini asked for what seemed like the thousandth time to Harry.  {Are you sure you have all the textbooks you need?  Potions supplies?  Parchment?  Quills?  Robes?  Ink?  Owl treats?}

{Yes!} Harry exclaimed.  It had been decided after much debates since Nagini generally didn't like birds, that Harry would get an owl for a pet.  But that the owl would have to remain at Hogwarts where it would be used primarily to send mail to and from the Riddle Mansion.  {I have all that I need and I've already shrunk it and put it in the trunk.  Remember you checked yesterday?}

{I am just concerned,} Nagini answered anxiously.  {This is the first time that you'll be far away from my care.  You've never spent more than a few hours away from me, Harry.  You don't have someone to remind you of what you need to do and not to forget stuff!}

Harry nodded and rubbed Nagini underneath her jaw like she enjoyed.  She hissed with pleasure.  {I won't forget,} he reassured.  {You and Tom have taught me everything that I need to know.}

{Yes,} she agreed, {you will be the best student at Hogwarts just like Tom was.}

Harry smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of her head when he heard Voldemort calling for him, "Harry!  It's time to go!  If we don't leave, the Hogwarts Express will leave without you."  

{I'll see you soon, Nagini.}

She watched the child not from her womb run out of the room after slipping his shrunk trunk in his pocket.  {I'll miss you, Harry.}

-

They were standing at the brick pillar that was where Platform 9 ¾ was hidden.  Harry was carrying his owl and the rest of his stuff was nicely shrunk and in his pocket, including the last minute gift that Voldemort had given to him--- a Nimbus 2000!  It was the latest and the best broom on the market.  Harry had been confused since he thought first years couldn't have brooms, but Voldemort told him that he knew how much he loved to fly and he'd have ample time at Hogwarts.  

{You have your owl,} Voldemort gestured to the snowy white owl that Harry had cleverly named Hedwig.  {You know you can contact me any time for anything that you might need through her.  I also want you to write to Nagini as often as you can.  You know she'll miss you terribly.}

{I know,} Harry responded.  {I already miss her.}

{You will see her again during the holidays,} Voldemort reminded, leaning down to brush a kiss on Harry's forehead.  Harry had other  ideas though as he cupped Voldemort's face gently and kissed him on both of his cheeks.  {I'll miss you, Harry.}  And he honestly would.  He couldn't remember the last time that he'd actually missed anyone.  

{I'll miss you too, Tom.}

Voldemort nodded and pushed Harry toward the gateway to the Hogwarts Express.  {You should go, it's almost time.  You need to find a seat and get settled.  Remember just walk straight in the wall and don't be hesitant.  Do you understand, Harry?}

He was about to answer that he understood but Voldemort had already portkeyed away.  It had been the first time he'd traveled by portkey to arrive at the train station.  It was because there were several strong wards around the station to prevent apparation to protect the students against attacks.  Harry had wondered since Voldemort was so strong, couldn't he break through it?  

Voldemort had answered that he could, but not if he had to take Harry with him since Harry wasn't technically suppose to know how to apparate even though he knew how.  The ride in the portkey had been weird and dislocated in a way apparation never made him feel.  He didn't enjoy it.  He was glad when it was over.  He didn't like the feeling of sliding in an uncontrollable abyss.  

Sighing, he marched toward the wall and wasn't the least bit surprised when he walked right through it.  It almost seemed to be like an illusion rather than a gateway, even if the feel of it was that of a magical gateway.  But he didn't spend time analyzing it as his eyes caught the magnificent sight of the Hogwarts Express.  Voldemort had tried to describe it to him, but he hadn't quite captured the marvelous picture it made gleaming in the sunlight.  

"ALL ABOARD THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS!" shouted the conductor.  

He boarded the train, looking around through the compartments before he found an empty one.  He didn't particularly feel comfortable with a lot of people and well he liked being alone.  He needed to sort his thoughts out and figure out how he was going to approach people.  He really didn't understand how to interact with them.  He knew it was going to be different from conversing with Nagini or even Tom, but how different?  

It was then that someone slid the door open to the compartment he was in.  When he glanced up he saw someone that was so similar to someone that he'd met, he couldn't help but hiss, {Lucius Malfoy.}  But it couldn't be Lucius Malfoy.  This boy, yes boy, was too short but he did look an awfully lot like Lucius Malfoy.  Perhaps this was his son?  And if it was, what was his son doing here?

"So it is true," Draco drawled, his light gray blue eyes lighting up, "you are our Lord's protégée and an heir of Slytherin, Harry Marvolo."  

{Yes,} Harry started to hiss but remembered that only snakes and Voldemort could speak parseltongue.  It was a pity that others weren't as privileged to be able to speak the language.  It really was far superior to the human tongue.  "Yes," he began hesitantly and cautiously, he didn't want to mess up his words especially since he wasn't used to this language, "I am.  And you are?"

Draco extended his hand.  "I'm Draco Malfoy."  

He took the hand and was pleased to note that Draco's touch wasn't as firm as his fathers.  "It's nice to meet you."  

"It's my pleasure to meet you," Draco responded throatily, his keen eyes trailing up and down Harry's lithe form with the eye of a trained admirer of beauty.  Malfoys were noted for being power hungry and being keen on beauty.  He was no exception.  He knew very well how his father served Voldemort and he was keen to serve Harry in the same manner.  It made it so much easier that Harry was good-looking like the Dark Lord was, so much more tempting.  

Harry nodded and withdrew his hand from Draco's.  The way Draco was staring at him reminded him of the way that Lucius had intensely studied him.  But the blue gray of Draco's eyes weren't quite as disturbing to him, probably because they didn't seem as dangerous.  And while Draco was critically appraising him like his father, there was something else in his eyes.  Admiration?  

"We are going to be good friends," Draco declared.  "We are going to be _very_ good friends."  

There was something about the way Draco said that that made Harry wistful.  He wished that Voldemort would look at him in that appreciative way.  All he'd ever wanted was to gain Voldemort's approval.  Sometimes, he felt like he had and other times he felt like he was almost there--- but not quite.  That made him determined to do the best that he could at Hogwarts.  He would gain Voldemort's approval and admiration no matter what.  That meant he needed to get into Slytherin house, Voldemort's house.  

"We are going to be good friends aren't we?" Draco questioned.  There was an uncertainty now in his voice that struck Harry as being different.  There had been this unshakable confidence and arrogance about Draco previously, but now he didn't sound quite so positively sure of himself.  It was a welcomed change.  It was nice to know that maybe Draco wasn't so very different from himself.  

"Yes," Harry finally answered.  "Yes, we are."  He did _need_ a friend.

-

**Author's Note: **All I have to say is that keep up the good reviewing and I'll try to keep writing.  I can see Draco pursuing Harry but not Harry pursuing Draco, and I don't see Harry giving in.  And updates will be on Friday now every week.  I'm going to update once a week now.  

Thanks to wolfen-alysha-draco-dragon, lillinfields, klanek2004, Shania Maxwell, Alicorn1, Colibi, Solari Isa, lightyearsaway, chantalmalfoy, Cicy, asa-chan, Lindiel Eryn, Fallen-blue-eyed-Angel, falling ice star, Jesi, HoshiHikari4ever, ennui deMorte, Andromeda Snape-Malfoy, **Miss Lesley** (not adding HP/DM sorry, at least not two sided), TigerBlack, Kata Malfoy, ironic-humour, Grey Malwell, shelleykids, Lolita, FireFaerie23, BlackDiva, aerin, SilveredDeath, wanderingwolf, TJ, shamanogler, Kateri1, Eternal Cosmos, momma-der, Kathy stgqvk, Redrum.  


	5. Sorting

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash.  If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it!  It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta: Blackumbridge

_I_ have fallen  
There is **_no_** escape  
This is my _destiny  
_My **_fate_** is yours  
Do what _you_ will  
I **_am_** yours  
I have _fallen  
_Fallen **_hard_** for you  
_Save_ me  
I **_need_** you  
I _want_ you  
For I **_love_** you

5: **Sorting** (December 18, 2003 to December 20, 2003)

He was uncomfortable with how many people were in the Great Hall.  It made him even more uneasy standing there in the middle where everyone could stop and stare at him.  He hated being at the center of attention.  Luckily, he wasn't the only one that was standing there.  It didn't hurt that Draco hadn't left his side and was chatting about whatever.  The sounds of the words were reassuring even if Harry wasn't paying attention to exactly what he was being said.  

Harry had read everything about sorting that he could.  He knew everything about the houses that could possibly be known, like that Slytherin and Gryffindor had the greatest house rivalry and that Slytherin had won the House Cup for 5 of the last 7 years.  The only breaks had been a victory one year by Ravenclaw and one by Hufflepuff.  He thought he had a good chance to be sorted into Ravenclaw.  He fit the bill of a typical Ravenclaw--- fascinated by knowledge and the pursuit of knowledge.  

But then again, he stood an equally good chance of being placed in Slytherin.  After all, he was an heir of Slytherin--- it would make sense if he was sorted into his ancestor's house.  However, he had read histories of sorting and had found out that descendants of the four great lines that had created Hogwarts hadn't necessarily been sorted into their bloodline house.  

It was hard to believe that the rumpled hat that sat scrunched over on a stool was the great sorting hat that determined the destiny of every student that passed through the school walls.  But it did.  Harry was intrigued by it, interested in what new song it would sing.  He had heard it created a new one every year for the new students.  Amazing considering how many years and how many students had walked through the halls of Hogwarts.  

_Welcome to Hogwarts   
May your future grow here  
But first you must be sorted  
The question is: where?  
If you're sharp and intelligent  
Ravenclaw is the house for you  
But if you're not, how about Hufflepuff  
Who houses the loyal and true?  
What about the chivalrous and courageous?  
Gryffindor for they never lack nobility  
And what about Slytherin?  
For the cunning and swift in personality?  
You will be placed where you belong  
You will find fellowship and friends  
They will last you through the years  
They will last you to the very end.  _

The stern witch that had led them to the Great Hall unrolled the scroll after the sorting hat had settled itself back down on the stool after singing its traditional song.  Harry knew the witch's name was Minerva McGonagall and that she was the Head of Gryffindor House as well as Deputy Headmistress.  It would be unwise to get on her bad side, he noted.  "Bones, Susan!"  

"GRYFFINDOR!"  

Harry watched every sorting with fascination.  Some took longer than others as the sorting hat really had to think about the selection.  It may not take longer than a few seconds, but Harry felt the difference in those seconds.  It was like the sorting hat actually had to struggle with the decision, if only for a second.  Most of them took only a second as the sorting hat was placed on the new students' head and was immediately sorted.  

"Granger, Hermione."  

This one took the longest.  The sorting hat really seemed to struggle as it kept moving back and forth in methodical fashion on top of young girl's bushy head as it tried to read where to place her.  Harry knew from his reading of _Hogwarts, A History_ that the sorting hat worked it's magic by reading the aura of a person.  Sometimes the aura was split between two distinct spheres or even three and it was hard to narrow it down to one house.  

"RAVENCLAW!"  

He thought it suited her.  There was something about her that made him think of her as the studious type.  He thought maybe it was the intent look in her eyes, the focus she had--- it reminded him of when he was trying to create a potion that he'd never made before.  He invariably messed up; he wasn't quite as adept in it as he was in Charms or the Dark Arts.  But if he concentrated and kept trying, he'd do it.  He saw the same determination in her.  

"Malfoy, Draco."  

The sorting hat had barely touched his newfound friend's forehead before it was shouting, "SLYTHERIN."  

"Marvolo, Harry."  Eyes had already been focused on each new student about to be sorted, but Harry felt the weight of their eyes were more concentrated on him.  _Especially_ from a certain wizard with dark eyes and the Headmaster.  Why were they looking at him so intently?  Was there something unusual about him?  

He felt McGonagall place the sorting hat on his head and immediately felt the wrinkled hat grip his head tightly but not uncomfortably.  _Oh yes, oh I have not seen this much complexity in years, _Harry heard the hat exclaim.  _Where to put such an intricate young wizard as you, Mr. Harry Marvolo.  I recognize the name.  You are related somehow to that brilliant yet dark wizard Tom Marvolo Riddle.  _

_A thorough Slytherin that one was.  But you, you are not.  You have something innocent and pure about you that he never had.  _That didn't surprise Harry, Voldemort often mentioned that he was untainted by the stains of the world.  _You have the drive though and the ambition to prove yourself.  And you **are** an heir of Slytherin.  But heirs do not always end up in the house of their ancestors.  _

_You have intelligence and a thirst for knowledge that is unparalleled.  _Harry knew that and had suspected that he had a good likelihood of ending up in Ravenclaw.  _Ravenclaw would suit you very well.  Then there is Gryffindor.  _Gryffindor?  How?  He had never thought of that house as a remote possibility.  _I can sense that you don't see it.  But you have this decency and dignity about you that I have not seen in a long time.  For an heir of Slytherin, you could be a great Gryffindor.  _

_In you there is some courage and steel.  You would not be uncomfortable in Gryffindor, and indeed it would be a very good house to you.  However, you don't enjoy the boisterous  revelry that most Gryffindors have a fondness for.  You are more solitary, more isolated of a person.  No, Gryffindor is not the house for you.  _

_How about Slytherin then? _the sorting hat posed the question.  _I feel your eagerness to be placed in that house.  You wish nothing more than to impress someone.  I suppose it is Tom Riddle, is it not?  You fit very well in Slytherin.  But you don't strike me as someone that would revel in devious mischief nor someone that would enjoy torturing others.  _

_Then again, Ravenclaw fits you just as well but you are not the arrogant know-it-all that a good lot of them are.  You do not have the air of being better because you know more than others.  You might find them suffocating after a while should I sort you there.  There may be some Slytherins that relate better to you than most Ravenclaws.  For Slytherins appreciate adaptability while Ravenclaws value unadulterated knowledge.  _

_So where to place you? _the sorting hat mused.  _You feel you must yearn for Slytherin; however, you are intrigued by Ravenclaw.  Either house suits you well.  You have the knowledge required to fit into Ravenclaw; you have the cunning needed to survive in Slytherin.  Do you have a preference?_

Did he?  "Place me where you will."  

_If you say so… _"RAVENCLAW!"  

All the eyes were still on him.  There seemed to be a stunned silence.  Harry figured that everyone knew that he was somehow connected to Voldemort and that was why they were surprised he hadn't ended up in Slytherin.  The most shocked expression as he surveyed the crowd seemed to be Draco's.  He wondered if he could still be friends with Draco now that he was in a different house?  

It took a moment before his house-mates burst into enthusiastic applause.  Steeling himself with the courage the sorting hat had said he had, he made his way over to the Ravenclaw table and was secretively delighted when the bushy haired girl he'd seen sorted early gestured for him to sit next to her.  He was already drawn to her for some reason or another, probably because he sensed she wasn't as comfortable as she wanted to appear to be.  

"I'm Hermione Granger," she introduced, holding her hand out to him.

He took it and noticed that her touch was tight yet it felt friendly.  "Harry Marvolo."  

"I'm exceedingly nervous," she blurted out.

He grinned.  "I am too."  

"Are you a muggleborn too?" she questioned, her eyes lighting up at the question.

Muggleborn?  He was confused for a second before he remembered reading in _Hogwarts, A History _that muggleborns were witches and wizards that were born to non-magical people that didn't live in the wizarding world.  He had heard Voldemort mention that muggleborns were strange miracles that didn't make sense.  How could a bloodline that didn't produce any magic before suddenly turn magical?  

"No," he answered.  "I'm not."  

"Oh."  

She sounded so disappointed.  He remembered how he hated it when Nagini or Voldemort looked remotely like that.  He always wanted to get rid of that expression on them, and he did it by making them talk it out.  But what to talk to her about?  He had never had a conversation with a girl before.  "I don't know anything about the muggle world."  

"Nothing at all?" she queried with astonishment.

He shook his head.  He wanted to mention that he hadn't even been allowed outside until he was 7, but Voldemort and Nagini had warned him not to say anything about his life to others.  "I don't know anything," he confirmed.  "Could you tell me about it?"  

"I wouldn't know where to start…"

"Anywhere."  

"All right."  She beamed and started rambling on about anything and everything muggle.  The way her eyes lit up when she spoke made it worthwhile even if the things that she were trying to explain to him didn't make much sense.  Why would anyone ever use a car to travel when apparation and portkeys were so much more convenient?  He didn't understand, but it didn't matter as long as her eyes were glowing happily like that.   

-

He stared down at the letter that Harry's owl, Hedwig, had just delivered.  He had not ripped it open because he already knew what a good deal of the content would contain.  Lucius had seen it fit to inform him that his protégée had been sorted in Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin.  He had also, almost gleefully, included that Harry had made friends with a mudblood called Hermione Granger.  

It didn't disappoint him that Harry had been sorted into Ravenclaw.  While there was no doubt that Harry was of the Slytherin bloodline, that didn't necessarily mean he would be sorted into Slytherin.  After all, the sorting hat had wrestled a bit in where to place him.  It had wavered between Ravenclaw and Slytherin for a bit before ultimately placing him in Slytherin.  

If anything he knew the insatiable yearning Harry had for knowledge.  It was amazing how much the young boy had already read from his library.  He'd made a point of assigning some of his Death Eaters to search for more obscure texts that his charge might find interesting, particularly those that concerned Charms and the Dark Arts.  Despite his sweet innocence, he may yet make a Dark Wizard out of him.  

{Are you going to open his letter?} Nagini hissed from her spot where she was wrapped around his neck.  {You know he doesn't only write to you.  He could have written something to me as well.}

He sighed inside and waved his hand over the letter, casting a spell that would rip the letter open and start reading it aloud.  He was pleased to see that Harry had the foresight to write  the letter in the parselhand so that Nagini would be able to understand it too.  It was not easy to do, but Harry had a flawless hand.  The spell he had cast would read out in any language the letter required in the writer's voice.  It pleased him to hear Harry's hissing voice even though it wasn't really Harry but a spell.  

{_Dear Tom and Nagini, _

_I feel awkward writing you a letter when I'd rather be able to talk to you in person.  It feels so different here where I can't speak in my preferred language.  I miss home.  I especially miss your companionship, Tom, and Nagini's mothering.  I find it restrictive here, considering I don't have the freedom to browse all the texts they have.  And it's the tomes in the Restricted Section that I would be most interested in.  _

_Draco has told me that he used his hawk, Morgaine, to inform his father about his status as well as my own.  So you will probably have already heard this, but I have been sorted into Ravenclaw.  It seemed like it took forever for the sorting hat to place me into a house.  Hermione, a friend and fellow housemate of mine that is a muggleborn, told me it didn't take longer than perhaps a minute.  But it felt like an eternity.  _

_I hope that me making friends with a muggleborn doesn't disappoint you.  Draco has already lectured to me that Hermione Granger isn't worth the effort of being friends with because she isn't a pureblood like himself.  I find that reasoning absurd and archaic.  But Draco seems like an exact replica of his father, Lucius.  Lucius strikes me as a pureblood elitist as well._

_How do I say that Hermione is like the sibling I never had?  She is not beautiful physically, but inside she is far lovelier than physical beauty could ever be.  Perhaps, she is a bit of a know-it-all.  But she's not arrogant and condescending about it.  She isn't aware that she sprouts out things that no one else knows.  For a muggleborn she has a better grasp in magical theory than most pureblood children ever would at this age.  _

_I find her extraordinary.  I think that she understands better than anyone else other than you and Nagini what it is like to thirst for knowledge.  I'm more comfortable around her than Draco, even though he isn't bad to be around.  It's just that he doesn't take too well to total silence.  Hermione doesn't mind.  We can sit together in the same room, not talk and just be absorbed in our own thoughts and it's all right.  _

_There's not much to say other than the first days of classes were eventful.  All of the classes were far behind my level of ability, but it gave me plenty of time to observe the other students and try to understand them.  I still don't comprehend much, but Hermione's been a big help in that department.  Draco has been an aid too when we have double classes with Slytherin.  _

_For some reason the Potions Professor doesn't seem to like me very much.  I have no idea why.  He keeps staring at me with those dark and intense eyes of his.  I don't dislike him.  He seems like the type of wizard I would like to drill with questions.  I wonder if it would be wise of me to approach him about getting extra tutoring in Potions?  He doesn't seem like the type that would offer help freely, and Potions is the one subject I do need help in.  I'm proficient now, but what happens when the material gets harder?  _

_At least I have Draco and Hermione to help me.  I suspect that Draco is only helping because he thinks he ought to.  If that's the case, I would like it to stop.  I don't need the help.  I can make friends on my own.  Hermione proves that to me.  She's wonderful at everything except flying.  I know I've flown before the flying lessons, but to actually be able to fly without any restrictions was an amazing feeling.  _

_I only wish I could have flown with the broom that you gave me.  But I have to ask Madame Hooch for permission first to use the Quidditch field.  It gives me time, anyhow, to try to coerce Hermione to fly with me.  I don't think she'll ever be very good at flying, but she has the determination to be a decent flyer._

_One last thing I want to mention before I end this grievously long letter, every house seems to have a tradition of sorts.  For Ravenclaw it seems they assign mentors to help guide the new students through the Hogwarts experience.  I assume it's also to  keep the Ravenclaw pride of high success intact as the mentors are there to help you in anything you need help in.  They particularly focus on academics.  My mentor is Cho Chang, she's a 3rd year and is the seeker on our Quidditch team.  Hermione's is Penelope Clearwater, a 4th year.  _

_That's all I can think of to tell you.  Did I mention that I miss you loads?  I wish I was back home.  But I understand that it's important for me to be here.  It's not only about learning the magical theory, is it Tom?  It's about understanding the wizards and witches around me  so that I don't remain ignorant of the world, isn't it?  That's why you sent me here.  Because if I really wanted to learn magic, there's no wizard better than you._

_I love you both._

_Harry_}

Voldemort folded the letter up and placed it in his top drawer.  Harry was doing exceptionally well at Hogwarts.  He was proud of his protégée.  Harry was exceeding all his expectations.  He'd guessed the school would be easy for Harry and it seemed that he was more than proven right.  But one thing bothered him.  The Potions Professor.  He narrowed his crimson eyes.  What exactly did Severus Snape have against Harry?  

There should be nothing, especially since he'd made it clear that Harry was under _his_ guidance.  Perhaps, Severus was upset like Lucius that he hadn't been informed about the young boy.  Severus was a part of his Inner Circle.  But Severus wasn't like Lucius at all.  Indeed the Potions Master was renown for his stoicism.  He was one of the only Death Eaters that never disappointed Voldemort.  

But this time he had.  That would have to be fixed.  If Harry wanted to improve his potions skill, Severus would comply.  He didn't care how inconvenient it might be for Severus.  Severus would do whatever Harry wished.  

-

Author's Note: For those of you that feared Harry would be placed in Gryffindor, I hope I have suitably shocked you.  For those of you that were certain I'd place Harry in Slytherin, I hope you will open your eyes.  Harry is adaptable, resourceful, and clever--- traits that will suit him well in Ravenclaw.  If he were to be sorted into Slytherin, he would lose the innocent appeal that Voldemort holds for him.  Besides, I've never sorted Harry into Ravenclaw before.  Placing Susan Bones in Gryffindor was intentional.  And for your information, Chapter 6 deals with the beginnings of Harry's relationship with Lucius & Severus.  

Your reviews were wonderful by the way.  I really, really dreadfully appreciated them.  I'm like addicted to them, in a somewhat bad fashion.  I really, truly, madly hope that this chapter meets up to expectation as I have this horrible tendency to want to please people.  It's what gets me into trouble sometime.  But I'm not sure about this chapter, but can't change it as I've already written 6 based on this!  ^_^;; -CHEERS!-

Thanks to Cory3, **chibineko** (begins next chapter), futagoakuma-tenshi01, kimdalia, **darkkeeper** (I'm not fond of Ron, so we'll see), Demon child, Kaze, Nelum, Kratista, mad-angel07, Aspid,  Daremyth, **BlackDiva** (Draco chasing Harry maybe), **PxW** (Lucius is calculation, we'll see what he does to Harry), **tomi** (thanks for all your reviews, they were WONDERFUL!), **Eaiva le Fay** (hehe, same with me. LM + SS will be coming slowly), yinka wills, W.Kathy, oracale, Betsy, ironic-humour, Coo, TigerBlak, Moth Willowfrost, SilveredDeath, aerin, Liv, shamanogler, Megami Rileu, HoshiHikari4ever, Nyn, redrose2310, Lindiel Eryn, Cicy, wolfen-alysha-draco-dragon, **Artemisu** (SS's reaction next ch.), Socorro, atalante, Winnie2, bramblerose-proudfoot, Kathy stgqvk, **Frizzy** (thanks, your veela story is amazing), FireFaerie23, Lakoma, marishamarish, asa-chan, **deliolith** (I prefer Harry/older male too), Solaris Isa, wanderingwolf, Silaqui, Xyverz, shelleykids, lillinfields, Rarity88, Eternal Cosmos, Kateri1, Katums, Caela, Cathy, and Vicious Lily.  

**rayvern:** I corrected the repeated part, just keep reloading until there's a note on the top that says it's been corrected.

**~Mary~:** Didn't realize my Draco was that original until I thought about it ^^;;.  

**TJ:** There will be Draco chasing Harry, but Harry won't see much in Draco other than a friend.  I mean Draco can't compare to "Tom."

**SkyeLight2x1:** I wouldn't worry about LM/HP anytime soon as it'll be gradual.  DM/HP I'm not overly fond of, but nothing's certain at this point.  I just won't bill at as DM/HP when it'll probably just be a good friendship.

The Shadow Bandit: This isn't actually that original.  I'm just redoing it as I like the idea but no one has done it the way I see that it could be done.  The other 'ships will definitely be gradual.  


	6. Moments

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash.  If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it!  It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta: Blackumbridge

_I_ have fallen  
There is **_no_** escape  
This is my _destiny  
_My **_fate_** is yours  
Do what _you_ will  
I **_am_** yours  
I have _fallen  
_Fallen **_hard_** for you  
_Save_ me  
I **_need_** you  
I _want_ you  
For I **_love_** you

6: **Moments** (December 23, 2003 to December 30, 2003)

He watched with his black eyes as Harry stirred the potion with meticulous care.  Harry was not brilliant at potions.  He _should_ have been no better than a very _average_ student, but he was better than average because he _applied_ himself.  Once Harry had gotten the basics down, he'd proven himself to be a very capable student at Potions.  Severus expected Harry to be one of his better students at Potions, but he wasn't going to be the best.  That honor rested with his best friend, the muggleborn--- Hermione Granger.  

But still, Harry wasn't bad.  Indeed there were times when he was _quite good.  _Still his best subject was in Charms.  No one could touch him in the class.  He'd heard from Flitwick constantly how advanced and powerful Harry was, and Flitwick wasn't the type to be overly boastful.  His judgment was to be taken at face value.  Then again, he had expected nothing less from a boy wizard that his Lord had already marked as _his_ protégée.  

He still winced when he thought about how long he'd been placed under Cruciatus for being unfriendly to Harry for the first week.  At first he'd resented being forced to not be unpleasant, but he soon found it easier when the boy showed himself to be far more adept than even most of the older students.  It still astonished him how much Harry knew about magical theory.  Harry knew more about Charms than Severus could ever hope to learn.  Not that he was interested, potions was much more fascinating in his humble opinion.  

His Defense against the Dark Arts was also quite good, surprising since he was groomed to be good at _the_ Dark Arts.  His defense spells were high quality for one as young as he was.  Severus was willing to wager that when Harry grew up, his defensive capabilities would surpass Voldemort's.  However, there was no doubt that Voldemort was the best at offensive dark magic.  With Harry at his side… he'd be invincible.  

"Now add two slices of mandrake," Severus commanded when the twenty minutes of required stirring had been done.  "After the slices have dissolved into the potion, you will need to stir vigorously for thirty more minutes and then the potion will need to cool down for the rest of the night."  

Harry nodded and did exactly what Severus said.  The young boy definitely wasn't brilliant at potions, Severus thought, but he was going to make a more than capable assistant over the summer.  Harry was still unsatisfied with his potion-making skills and had asked Voldemort that he be allowed to study with Severus over the summer.  It would suit him just fine.  It would be nice to work with someone that had some ability for once.  

Though that hadn't stopped him from being initially enraged when he'd been forced by Voldemort to tutor a boy less than brilliant!  Voldemort had told him, had commanded him to teach Harry all that he knew until Harry was satisfied!  And his Lord had threatened him after punishing him with Cruciatus for making Harry think that Severus didn't like him.  He certainly hadn't liked the boy at first glance, but how had the boy known?  At first glance the child had looked too much like someone he had an ill memory of.  But getting to know Harry proved the contrary.  Harry was bright; Harry was kind--- Harry was nothing like his nightmare.  

"Stir more vigorously Harry," Severus reminded when he saw that Harry wasn't quite stirring heartily enough.  "Yes that's it."  Harry beamed at him and Severus couldn't stop himself from smiling slightly.  It also amazed him how sweet Harry was after having been raised by Voldemort.  Voldemort didn't seem the type to raise someone to be pure and so effortlessly good.  

Then again, it might just be the affect that Harry had on people.  Severus shuddered to think how Hermione Granger would have turned out without Harry to tone down her relentless behavior.  He often overheard Harry reassuring the overachieving witch that a 99 was still a very good score and that it was okay to be less than perfect.  Severus snorted, yes, thank Merlin Harry was there to calm down Hermoine's suicidal perfectionist tendencies.  

Maybe that was the reason that his Lord had stopped the insane killings more than ten years ago.  It made sense.  Harry had come to Voldemort at around that age.  And while Voldemort certainly hadn't gotten lenient and sappy, he had definitely been prone to be far less cruel.  He didn't cast Cruciatus nearly as much on his unsuspecting Death Eaters.  It made the working environment around the Dark Lord much more pleasant.  

"I'm done," Harry declared.  "Where should I put the potion?"  

"Set it on the shelf," Severus responded.  "Then you'd best be off, dinner will be soon."  

"Good-bye Professor Snape."  

"Good-bye Harry."  

-

"Can you believe that it's almost over?" Hermione remarked reflectively, lying down on one of the various lounge chairs that were in the Common Room.  A book rested on her lap face down to keep the page she was reading.  "Our first year at Hogwarts, Harry!  Think of that!"  

Harry nodded, his back against Hermione's lounge chair.  He leaned his head back when Hermione started threading her fingers through his unruly hair.  "It's been quite a year for you, hasn't it been?"  

"I could say the same for you," Hermione teased, loving the feel of Harry's silky hair as she ran her fingers through his dark mop.  "You outscored me in almost everything, you perfectionist."  

"Not in Transfiguration or Potions," he responded.  "You did brilliantly in those classes."  

"You didn't do too shabbily either.  You were only a point off me in Potions!" she exclaimed.  "And I still can't get over the expression that was on Malfoy's face when he saw that we both outscored him!"  Hermione couldn't help but giggle and Harry had to join in with her laughter.  It had been funny to see Draco's apoplectic face.  He couldn't _believe_ two Ravenclaws would do better in a class where the Professor favored his own House heavily.  

"What are you reading?" Harry asked, tapping the spine of the book.  

"_Contemporary Guide to Charms,_" Hermione responded.  "Can't let you get too far ahead of me, can I?"  

"Hermione," Harry murmured, reaching up to squeeze her hand comfortingly, "you're a bloody brilliant witch.  You learned far more in one year than I could have ever learned in that space of time.  You can't compare us on a level basis right now.  I've been studying magical theory since I could read.  When we graduate, if I still know more than you then you can complain."  

She swatted his hand away and picked up her book again.  "You know I enjoy reading Harry."

"Entirely too much," he agreed with grin, picking up one of the many books that were piled in neat stacks in the Common Room.  They rarely had to go to the Library for anything that wasn't in the Restricted Section as their Common Room was a much better library than the actual Library.  There was a reason why Ravenclaws did so well, they not only had the thirst for knowledge but they also had the resources as well.

The newer books were always stacked next to the chairs and couches while the older books were stocked away on shelves.  The shelves were so stuffed that unless one knew what book they were looking for, it was impossible to find it.  They went through the shelves organizing it once or twice a year, but even that wasn't enough since their library only kept getting bigger and bigger.  

"Nothing wrong with being an unabashed book lover."

"No, nothing wrong at all."  He glanced down at the book that he'd picked out.  _The Complete Source Index for Potion Ingredients.  _He had picked it up before, but he'd never managed to get through the entire text since the author had a tedious way of writing.  But he knew it would impress Severus if he knew his potions ingredients better and he did _want_ to impress Severus.  

-

He was finally going home.  He couldn't suppress the excitement that was building up inside of him.  While it was true that he'd gotten to go home during Christmas and Easter, it hadn't been for long enough.  And it hadn't helped that Voldemort had been terribly busy to the point that Harry barely saw him both times.  This time he was going home for 3 months!  And this time he was going to spend some time with Voldemort.  He had a lot of questions to ask his mentor and his best friend.  

"Good-bye Harry!" Hermione cried out, kissing him on the cheek as she ran off to where her parents were waiting for her.  He waved his farewell while she got swept up by her father and mother, who then excitedly starting asking her all sorts of questions about how she was and how was school.  He sighed.  He was really going to miss Hermione.  Maybe he could owl her during the summer?  

He felt someone stop right next to him.  He didn't have to glance sideways to know it was Draco.  There was only one person that dared to approach him in such a presumptuous manner like that.  "I'm glad you finally got rid of that mud… muggleborn," Draco drawled.  "I don't know what you see in her.  She has bushy hair and awful teeth.  And she's always talking about her books."  

"I like books," Harry stated softly, his green eyes searching around.  Where was Voldemort and Nagini?  He had thought they would come to pick him up like the other parents and family that were at the Platform.  But maybe he was wrong.  "And Hermione's a very nice girl and a good friend."  

"You could do better than her," Draco declared arrogantly.  "It's such a tragedy that the stupid sorting hat placed you in Ravenclaw.  You should have been in Slytherin."  

Harry shrugged.  He'd been over this conversation with Draco before.  Didn't Draco get it that he didn't care about it?  He had only been anxious about his sorting at first when he'd thought that Voldemort would be terribly disappointed if he didn't get sorted in Slytherin.  Voldemort hadn't been precisely pleased, but he hadn't been disappointed.  In the end, Nagini had confessed that Voldemort had had the strong suspicion that he'd be placed in Ravenclaw.  

"And…" Draco was about to mumble on, but stopped when he saw his father striding up to them with his mother trailing behind.  He was surprised to see Narcissa, she didn't normally come to pick him up.  "Father," he said firmly, "Mother."  

"Draco," Lucius greeted, but his silver eyes were focused on Harry, "you will be going home with Narcissa by portkey.  I will be escorting Harry back to our Lord.  I will try to come home later this evening, but you know how tied up I get when I'm at the Riddle Mansion."  

Draco suppressed the urge to grin, instead nodding reservedly as befitted a Malfoy.  "I understand, Father."  

Lucius waited until Narcissa and his son had portkeyed off to the Malfoy Manor before turning his attention back to Harry.  "Our Lord dearly apologizes for not being able to pick you up, but some idiocy at the Ministry has caused him to be delayed there.  He will be back sometime this evening.  I'm to stay with you until he returns."  

"Is Nagini there?" Harry asked.  Nagini should be there, but if she was… why did Lucius need to be there to watch him?  Wasn't Nagini enough?

Lucius shook his head.  "No, she went with her Master.  They are both gone."  

Harry nodded.  "Thank you for escorting me back to my home."  

"You're very welcome, Harry."  

-

He expected to be horribly uncomfortable, but that wasn't the case at all.  He found himself actually enjoying Lucius's company.  While Draco wasn't bad company, Draco would often talk excessively to try to get rid of the prevailing silence that made him jittery.  He found silence didn't bother him, but it did bother Draco.  Lucius, however, was extremely knowledgeable though not as much as Voldemort about magical theory.  

"If you wish," Lucius offered, "I would be more than willing to spend some time tutoring you in more advanced spells.  It isn't often that I have the pleasure with working with such a gifted young wizard as yourself."  

"Draco's a very strong wizard," Harry remarked, knowing quite well that most of Draco's anxiety stemmed for the fact that he was afraid that he wasn't going to live up to his father's expectations.  

"Yes," Lucius agreed, "Draco certainly lives up to the Malfoy name.  But you are my Lord's protégée and thus beyond what he will ever be capable and what I am capable of."  Harry shivered when Lucius's hand cupped his chin and tilted his head up.  "Do you know how special you are?"  

Harry gulped and was relieved yet disappointed when Lucius pulled his hand away.  The touch was something he'd always longed for, something affectionate and gentle.  It was how he'd always yearned for Voldemort to touch him, but he rarely did and when he did it was never said with any praise of any kind.  It was just a quick caress and that was it.  He craved so much more than that.  

Smiling inwardly, Lucius studied Harry with reflective calculation.  He'd learned a lot about Harry through his son's constant owling.  What he'd said about his son was certainly true, Draco was doing far better than he had ever done at Hogwarts, finishing behind Voldemort's protégée was no shame.  Third in his class in most subjects, second in others but never first.  But overall, Draco was doing very well in his studies.  He applied himself more than Lucius ever had.  

He knew that Harry was fantastic at Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts.  He was also very good, though he worked hard at Potions and Herbology.  He was not quite as strong at Transfiguration as his mudblood friend or Draco.  But still quite adequate.  Lucius read the unspoken words that his son hadn't voiced blatantly.  Draco was more than disgruntled that Harry was such good friends with a mudblood, even though he was still Harry's closest friend other than that mudblood witch.  

"May I ask you a question Mr. Malfoy?" Harry asked softly.

Lucius inclined his head that yes he could.  "Of course, but please call me Lucius."

"Lucius," Harry began cautiously, "would you teach me all that you know?"  

Yes, he had been expecting this when he'd offered it just a few moments ago.  He'd be delighted to instruct Harry on all matters magical.  It would _only _further him in Voldemort's regard if he found favor with _his_ favorite.  His sexual prowess wasn't getting him any further entrenched in Voldemort's eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to make his Lord--- the Master of his heart--- feel what he felt.

Oh he knew very well that Voldemort thought that his feelings were trivial and untrue.  But he knew that he'd never felt emotions this deep nor true in his lifetime, and he had lived quite a number of years.  Not as considerable as his Lord, but enough to know his heart--- enough to know that he wanted Voldemort to feel the same way.  If young Harry was the means, then so be it.  He wasn't unwilling to stoop to such levels to gain what he desired.  

"If you wish it, it will be done," Lucius responded smoothly.  

"I wish it."

"Very well then.  I will talk to my Lord about it."  

-

The reunion had been emotional for Harry.  He had felt his eyes water, though he had been fiercely proud of himself when he hadn't cried.  Instead he fought back the tears as he kissed Nagini repeatedly on her head and kept stroking her lovely skin.  {I've missed you so much, Nagini!  I don't know how I lived without you!}

Nagini only chuckled in the way that snakes do and wrapped her tail around Harry firmly.  {I have missed you very much as well.  Tom has been quite fierce with you gone.  You do know that you have the ability to calm his anger, don't you?  You ought to come home for visits more often.  You know it can be arranged.}

{I don't want to seem different from the others.}

Nagini flicked her tongue out with impatience at her young charge.  {But don't you understand, Harry?  You are different.}

{But I don't want to be different!}

She wrapped herself gently around Harry's neck.  {Does that mean that you regret your life with me and Tom then?  It is different than the way any of those others would have lived.}

{Of course not!}

{Then why do you care then if you are given the privilege to visit your home?} she countered.  {Don't you miss me and Tom?}

{Dreadfully!}

{Then come home for visits,} Nagini hissed firmly.  {It would be good for all of us.}

Harry wavered, he really didn't want to stand out more than he already did.  But he really did miss his home.  He often couldn't sleep at night because he missed the feel of Nagini's lithe body wrapped around his.  {I will.  Do you think Tom will mind?}

{No,} she responded confidently, {I think he will be quite pleased.}

{Who will be quite pleased?} Voldemort asked in greeting as he entered into the lair after he'd dismissed Lucius.  It had taken longer than he'd thought to get Lucius apparating back to Malfoy Manor, but it had been well worth the extra time.  He smiled with satisfaction.  Lucius really did have such a skillful tongue.  {I do hope that it's me.}  

{It is indeed you,} Nagini replied with amusement. 

{Do tell.}

{Harry?} Nagini prodded.  

Voldemort turned to his protégée and noted how thin Harry had become.  He didn't look sickly, but he didn't look healthy either.  What was wrong with Harry?  At Christmas, he'd been thinner than he had been before but not this thin.  Had Hogwarts food suddenly become bad?  He remembered it being very good, possibly as good as what his terrorized house elves served here.  

{I want to come home more often instead of only during Christmas or Easter, and…..}

{And…?} Voldemort murmured encouragingly.

{And I want you to be there!} Harry burst, his eyes flashing heatedly.  {You were gone most of Christmas and you weren't there at all during Easter!  I missed you too, damn it!}

{Language!} Nagini exclaimed, squeezing Harry to emphasize her exclamation.  

{You can of course come home during the weekends whenever you want,} Voldemort answered sternly, even though he wasn't feeling any sort of harsh feelings.  Instead he was pleased he'd wrung an emotion like that from Harry.  Harry was too much like him, not prone to emotional outbursts.  Quite different from Lucius.  

{Don't take that tone with me!  I have things to do that are required of me.  If I could escape then, I would, but I can't.  Everyone has responsibilities in life.  Yours is Hogwarts and your class work.  Mine is my job.  Do you understand?}

{I do.}  Harry sighed and bent his head down.  {It's just….. when I came home I wanted to spend time with you.  I've missed you terribly.  Nagini too, but I got to see her and spend lots of time with her--- but not with you.}

Voldemort reached up with his hand to lightly caress Harry's soft cheeks.  {I will try to be here when you are home those weekends.  Send an owl beforehand.}

Harry smiled beautifully.  {Thank you.}  

{Your welcome.}

-

**Author's Note:** Those that are concern with slash, I will warn you before anything explicit begins (i.e. when kisses become sexual rather than just forms of an affection).  I will be skipping very fast over Hogwarts as I've done this before in MOP and if you want to see how I do the school, read that.  Thus, you'll see me not generalizing as much as picking a scene and doing it vividly to get you a picture of what things are like.  I.E. the Hermione/Harry scene was to show you about their friendship and I like the bit I inserted about the Ravenclaw common room.  Never read a Ravenclaw fanfic, so I feel free to be original!  Cheers!  I don't suspect the slash to start around 4th year and start picking up after that.  For those that have mentioned Ron, I have never done Ron in any detail in any of my fanfics as I can't relate to him thus I can't write him.  But he will most likely make an appearance but his role will be small.  

Also thank you SO MUCH for all the marvelous reviews.  I would keep your eyes out for two new stories that will debuting soon, Tourniquet (HP/SS) and There Comes a Time (LM/HP/SS).  If you want previews, look at my LiveJournal.  As Unilife is resuming next week, **Fallen #7** may be delayed or preempted next week.  But the debuts should be more than enough to give you a healthy dose of my writing.  Thanks for all your support, your reviews are inspiring.  

Thanks to wintersong, futagoakuma-tenshi-01, kandra, ardicana, redrose2310, RavensHaelo, BlackDiva, Winnie2, Calyx-girl, **Lolita** (Thanks and the letter was written in parseltongue), Meaxennce, Panya, **dracos-girl8706** (Not much of Gryffindors will be mentioned as Hogwarts will be Ravenclaw based), **Coo** (Severus is just a disagreeable git), Kateri1, **Eaiva le Fay** (nice feeling eh?  a craving for more ^_^), PxW, Shuki – aka Quickjewel, IncubusSuccubus, pascal, kristin, HoshiHikari4ever, Shautha, chibineko, wolfen-alysha-draco-dragon, Aspid, xenelle, **lillinfields** (I don't write HP as straight in any of my stories), Mikee, Cory3, SilveredDeath, deliolith, loverwren, Eternal Cosmos, Lindiel Eryn, Beth, Redrum, Xyverz, ennui deMorte, atalante, Kathy stgzvk, 

** Julian:** You have some good ideas, but I've done a lot of classroom stuff already and I prefer to concentrate on Harry's individual tutoring with Lucius and Severus.  

**Elenna Syford:** I think it's integral for Harry not to lose his innocent.  I think that would be Voldemort's main attraction to Harry.  That Harry is so similar to Voldemort and yet not tainted.  

**~Mary~:** I try to have purpose with every twist I create.  But I'm older than some fanfic writers and I daresay I've been writing longer than a good majority of the older ones too.  Let's see, I've been writing for what?  7 to 8 years.  

**Artemisu:** You have a sick sense of humor.  Well Voldie doesn't much care about mudbloods.  But he does care about one of his DEs not being suitable respectful to Harry.  Interesting thoughts.  I ignore the Philosopher's Stone as Voldemort's not dead.  CoS, I have yet to decide.  I don't think ahead for this fanfic.  


	7. Lessons

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash.  If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it!  It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta: Blackumbridge

_I_ have fallen  
There is **_no_** escape  
This is my _destiny  
_My **_fate_** is yours  
Do what _you_ will  
I **_am_** yours  
I have _fallen  
_Fallen **_hard_** for you  
_Save_ me  
I **_need_** you  
I _want_ you  
For I **_love_** you

7: **Lessons** (January 4, 2004 to January 13, 2004)

"You must concentrate!" Lucius hissed, his silver eyes storming with frustration at Harry.  It wasn't that Harry wasn't good, he was spectacular, but for some reason this Transfiguration spell was taking him longer than others.  Granted though, it was an Advanced spell that even the more talented older Hogwarts students would have trouble with.  Transfiguring something big and alive to something small and inanimate was always harder than the reverse.  "Focus, Harry!"  

Harry bit down hard on his bottom lip as he waved his wand over the cat again.  The cat glared at him indignantly as if she was boldly saying, just try to do the spell and don't be surprised if it doesn't work!  "_Mutare Forma_!" Harry shouted, pointing his wand directly at the cat and concentrating on mentally seeing the cat shrink to an ordinary button.  

Like all the previous failed attempt, the cat started shrinking but this time the feline didn't stop shrinking midway through.  It kept shrinking down until it was transformed into a button the size of a dime.  Impressive.  It had only taken him 7 failed attempts.  All in all, he believed it had taken him far longer to master this spell but he wasn't going to tell Harry that.  No, he wanted Harry to think that he was a wizard not far off Voldemort's strength.  Indeed, he wasn't that far off but he was in no way anywhere near where Harry would be when he fully matured.  

But he certainly didn't mind letting the boy admire or respect him for his ability.  Hero worship was something he could handle with ease.  Draco had the same heady dose of adulation, and even more so than Harry but that was to be expected--- Draco was not as capable of a wizard.  But Draco was going to prove more than adequate, and his Malfoy genes were showing up more prominently than his mother's side.  

"I did it Lucius!" Harry exclaimed, a pleased smile lighting up his face.  "I finally did it!"  

"And you did a quite well," Lucius praised lightly, knowing that the young boy craved praise and wanted more than anything to please others.  Of course, Harry most wanted to please Voldemort and that was why he was taking these extra lessons--- to improve his magic to make Voldemort proud, but he also liked to please in general.  The trait made it very easy for Lucius to worm his way into Harry's life.  It pleased him to no end when he'd uncovered it.  "Now try it again."  

Harry easily murmured the reversal spell and was already clearing his mind in preparation for another attempt at the spell.  Lucius watched Harry as he successfully performed the spell a second time and then a third.  Really, Harry was a marvel.  And even more so, Harry was a sweet young boy.  He could see what drew his Lord to Harry.  To have someone so innocent and trusting love him like Harry loved Voldemort, that would be something unexpected and fulfilling.

-

He was beautiful when he was sleeping, Voldemort thought as he watched Harry from the doorway where the light from the hallways cast just enough light for his sweet purity to be visible.  It was heartwarming, strangely enough, for him to see Harry sleeping so peacefully and so soothingly with Nagini wrapped around him protectively.  It reminded him of how Nagini used to comfort him at night when he was young.  

{You like watching,} Nagini hissed softly, raising her head from Harry's shoulder to glance at her Master.  {Did you miss it while he was gone?  I missed it.  I missed him very much.}  

{You know I missed him,} Voldemort whispered.  {You know that I missed having him around even if I did not act like it.}

{Sometimes it seemed like you didn't care,} Nagini responded reflectively.  {You started acting the way you did before Harry came to us.  You're colder and less approachable.  When Harry's here, you are almost like the young Tom that I love so dearly.}

{I am glad I'm not that Tom anymore!} he exclaimed fiercely.  {I do not want to be that weak young boy any longer!  That weak fool that tried so hard to please everyone but failed to gain anyone's affections!  No, never, no!}

{But you had mine,] she countered.  {You always had mine.}

Voldemort pressed his lips down into a flat line as if he was struggling with himself.  Nagini knew exactly how to get a reaction out of him.  She was too good at it.  But he allowed her to get away with it.  {Harry's like me,} he remarked instead.  {He wants affection and approval more than anything.}

{Then give it to him,} Nagini responded.  {He will only love you more, and you want that--- don't you?  You want him to love you.}

Did he want Harry to love him?  His crimson eyes shifted to Harry's innocent sleeping form.  Yes, he wanted this pure and naïve young boy to love him unconditionally.  He had never had that before from anyone but Nagini and no matter how humanlike she was--- she was still a serpent.  {Perhaps.}

{I think you do,} she responded with certainty.  {Just spend more time with him, Tom, and you'll have him so enraptured he won't be able to look elsewhere.  Don't you realize that you're the one person that he's desperate to please?  Even I can't get that kind of devotion from him and I'm practically his mother.}

{Jealous?} Voldemort queried with a smirk.  She wasn't normally envious of anyone, but she was abnormally possessive of Harry so perhaps she would be in his case.  {Are you, Nagini?  The truth…}

{At times,} she admitted.  {But I certainly don't begrudge you Harry's devotion.  I am your humble servant after all.}

{More like my willful and headstrong serpent,} he countered, but his tone was affectionate.  {What would I do without you, Nagini?  What would Harry do without you?}

{You both would be lost,} she stated with absolute surety.  {Spend time with him this summer,} she urged.  {You won't regret it.  Harry has grown up to be an intellectual young boy, and you don't want either Severus nor Lucius over influencing him--- do you?}

{Of course not!}  Nagini didn't flinch, but did cast a meaningful look in Harry's slumbering direction.  {And I know what Harry has become as he has grown up,} Voldemort replied tightly.  {I will find time this summer for him.  Tell him I want to see him tomorrow after his lessons with Severus.}

Nagini would have smiled if snakes could.  {I will.}

-

"No, no no!" Severus shouted, jerking the crow's claws from the bubbling potion before Harry could make it explode a la Neville Longbottom.  "You never put ingredients in when it's bubbling!"  

Harry bit down hard on his bottom lip and with hesitation murmured, "But in the text it says to add the crow's claw when the potion is bubbling."  He pointed to the reference, and it did say that.  However, it also mentioned that it was tricky even if it made the potion more potent.  It was best to try to add the crow's claw when the potion was merely fizzing.  

"Do you believe _you_ have gifts required to make this 5th year potion at its most potent?" Severus sneered harshly.  He knew he was being too hard on Harry, but this had been his first shortcoming in a long time.  One would think all his tutoring over the first year would have ingrained some rational sense into the young boy!  But still, he was being too cruel.  This was a potion not many of his OWLs students could handle.  Only the best and brightest could.  

"I'm sorry," Harry said softly.  "I'm sorry, Professor Snape."  

At least the boy wasn't cowering, Severus thought with a vague sense of approval.  Why would he though?  If he had grown up with Voldemort and Nagini, the boy couldn't be afraid of much.  While Harry was more cautious than most his age, he wasn't lacking in a backbone.  In fact, he had more of a spine than Severus would have thought from someone being raised by Voldemort.  

"Don't try the harder instructions," Severus responded sharply.  "Just try to make the sodding potion for the first time without any explosions.  I do not need a Longbottom reminder in the summer."  

Harry nodded and waited for the potion to simmer before adding in the crow's claws.  Most potions had a step or two that could be done different that would make the potion more potent.  But only a Potions Master could successfully do those steps.  And as Severus watched Harry with critical eyes, Harry was probably not going to make a Potions Master.  He did have dexterous hands and good timing.  Harry would make a very suitable Potions Assistant for himself if he trained him just right.  

His early indignation about being forced to tutor Harry was gone now.  He'd gotten it over long before, but it was only recently that he'd contemplated making Harry into his assistant.  That's if Harry wanted it.  Severus narrowed his eyes.  It seemed like he had competition for Harry's time with his long time nemesis, Lucius.  It irritated him that Lucius was also spending time teaching the boy.  He had never found Lucius to be a competent teacher.  Merlin only knows what Harry was learning under Lucius's instruction.  

This would be an opportune time to rip away Harry's time from Lucius.  If he wanted to train Harry to be his assistant, he would need to spend as much time with the theory as with the practical.  Of course, Severus thought darkly, he couldn't tell Voldemort that he wanted to make Harry a _mere_ assistant.  He'd have to say something more flattering, something like training Harry to be a Potions Master.  

Was it possible?  He studied the young boy cynically.  Harry did have amazing determination and an insatiable thirst for knowledge.  He was already one of the best potions students Severus had had in a long time.  He did lack the innate intuition that was needed though, but had he had that himself at that age?  Perhaps he would refer to his Pensieve before he asked Voldemort.  Watching himself work as a young boy could only lighten his harsh judgment on Harry's skills.  

What was unimpressive to him now because he had many years of experience and numerous accolades could be remedied by watching him as a child.  He grimaced, harsh lines marring his face, he remembered exploding as many cauldrons as Longbottom.  However, he consoled himself, the potions he had been experimenting with were stuff that OWLs students could dream of and NEWTs students could only pray furiously of doing right.  

"Now carefully," Severus murmured silkily, "keep stirring it slowly, only twice in a minute.  This is the hardest step as it requires patience and timing judgment.  Don't rush.  Don't let yourself become _eager_."

"Yes, Professor Snape."

He wondered if he should tell the boy not to call him Professor Snape.  It reminded him too much of the obnoxious children at Hogwarts and the meddling old Headmaster.  He shrugged.  It wouldn't be proper for a student to call his teacher by his first name, but then again Harry was a special case.  And he had overheard Harry calling Lucius by his first name.  Severus's fist tightened.  Oh how he _despised_ Lucius.

"Slow down!" he snapped at Harry.  "You're stirring too fast."  Harry wasn't actually stirring all that fast, only a tad and that wouldn't have made that much of a difference.  He was only slightly off, lacking true intuition for the subject but possessing great self discipline.  Luckily for both of them, Harry didn't stir too slow--- as if knowing Severus was disciplining him for a small infraction.  

"Sorry Professor Snape," Harry whispered.  

"It's summer," Severus finally growled, thoughts whirling with light speed in his head as he told himself the merits and demerits of letting Harry refer to him by his first name.  No horrid reminders of Hogwarts and those awful children, but then--- decidedly not proper.  Then there was Lucius…  "You may call me Severus."  

-

The room was empty.  Lucius was always waiting for him when they had a lesson.  It had been like this for several weeks, but Lucius was not here.  Harry was disappointed.  If Lucius wasn't here, that probably meant they weren't going to have a lesson.  He just didn't think Lucius would be late on purpose, and if Lucius wasn't late--- that meant something had tied him up and that he couldn't come.  

{Disappointed?} Voldemort hissed from behind.  {Lucius will not be teaching you today.}

{Is he busy?} Harry asked softly.  He _was_ disappointed.  He looked forward to his sessions with Lucius because Lucius taught him stuff better than any of his professors at Hogwarts.  And it was more than that.  It was the special attention that Lucius gave him, his _undivided_ attention.  The personal touch was what he craved.  {Will he be back tomorrow?}

{He is not busy,} Voldemort remarked tightly.  He was jealous, he realized with disgust, he was jealous that Harry actually missed spending time with Lucius.  Harry was his!  Harry was not to want anything or anyone _but_ him.  {I asked him not to come.}

{Why?} Harry questioned, trying to keep the alarm out of his voice--- trying to be neutral and calm about this.  Who knew the reason why?  Inside, however, he was panicking.  He wanted Lucius to keep teaching.  He liked Lucius as a teacher.  {Will I not be receiving anymore tutoring from Lucius?}

{Not when I am here to teach you.}

That took Harry by surprise.  Voldemort had never taught him anything, not really, Harry remembered with bitter remembrance.  No matter how many times he had pleaded with his eyes for Voldemort to stay and to teach him the texts and the tomes he had given to him--- Voldemort never did.  It was like he couldn't spare the time to teach him, even if he did consider him his protégée.  

{Lucius will not be coming when I will be teaching you,} Voldemort continued with a harsh voice.  {But he will continue to instruct you when I cannot.  I hope that it won't disappoint you.}

{No!} Harry cried out fiercely.  {I…} he looked down and away, he was embarrassed at his passionate outburst.  He had striven to hide his feelings, hide how much he wanted to spend time with Voldemort.  

{What Harry?}  Voldemort asked gently.  

It was enough to cave the little resistance within Harry.  {I have always wanted you to teach me magic.  If there's anyone that I wanted to teach me, it was you!  I may learn well from books, but I've always yearned to have you teach me!}

{You will now.}  Voldemort was more than pleased.  He was going to enjoy this immensely, teaching his Harry.  Before he didn't think he could deal with the incompetence that invariably came with young children and magic.  But Harry had just gotten through his first year of Hogwarts and from what he had heard from both Lucius and Severus--- Harry was an extraordinarily gifted wizard.  He had had no doubts on that, but now Harry was ready for him.  

Of course, he thought wryly, Nagini had had a crucial hand in his decision to spend time with Harry.  She had brought it to his attention that he was letting Lucius and Severus wield too much influence over Harry, especially since they were spending more time with Harry than he was.  Not that he had much time to spare, not with those incompetent fools at the Ministry that needed everything force fed to them.  He didn't mind mostly; he enjoyed the absolute power--- but couldn't they handle some of the issues he could care less about themselves?!

{There is nothing that I can't teach you,} Voldemort began with an insidious edge.  {But it has come to my attention that you have no idea how to duel, and that is one of the most important defenses a wizard can have against himself.  There is a proper way of dueling that you should be taught as well as how to guard yourself against unscrupulous wizards that would wish to do you harm.  If they don't warn you, that is quite Slytherin of them.}

Harry nodded and was about to ask Voldemort a question when Voldemort merely gestured his hand toward Harry and said carelessly, "_Expelliarmus!_"

Flying backwards despite the casually mentioned disarming spell, Voldemort had luckily aimed for Harry to hit a chair in the room rather than some other hard object.  It was still enough force to cause the chair to buckle under the pressure but Harry was no worse for the wear than a mild bruise.  {Always be wary,} he hissed forcefully.  {Always overestimate your opponent.  Never underestimate them.  It _will_ kill you.  Do you understand me, Harry?}

{I understand.}

The second the words left Harry's lips, Voldemort was already aiming another spell at Harry that Harry wasn't able to dodge since he saw it coming too late.  He was hit with a stupefy spell that caught him in mid position of trying to stand up from the broken chair.  It was an awkward position if Voldemort kept him in it… Harry would have horribly cramped up muscles.  

{You must always be on your guard.  There will be people that won't like you, Harry.  You have had a measure of protection this first year because you were a first year and were more sheltered by your house.  But you must realize that the older that you get, the more that the hatred of others will show because of what they do not understand.  This will especially become more apparent the stronger that you get.  Weak wizards hate what they cannot have.  It is human nature.}

He walked over to where Harry was paralyzed and wrapped his arms around him as he softly spoke, "_Finite Incantantum._"  Harry slumped into his arms for a moment before he gathered up the strength in his body to stand on his two feet by himself.  {You must be careful Harry.}

{I will be.}

This time when Voldemort threw a jelly leg jinx at him, Harry dodged it and even managed to try a counter with an impediment charm--- unsuccessful but it pleased Voldemort to see Harry fighting back.  This was important, to teach Harry to fight back, it was important because he remembered how things had been when he'd grown older--- everything he'd told Harry was true.  People would hate him not for any solid reason other than that he was more powerful than they could every dream of being.  

-

Author's Note: I'm not thrilled with the people that didn't review because I really do need the inspiration.  Besides, it makes me happy when I get email that isn't regarding homework/things to do/stress in college.  Anyway, I probably won't be updating next week unless well reviews inspire me like hell this weekend as I haven't even started.  Thanks.  

Thanks to lillinfields, colibi, HarrySlyther*son, **HoshiHikari4ever** (it's slash, no het), LunaBard, **Serpent of Light** (I don't write Paradox of Existence that's Dragonlight, I write Mirror of Paradox), redrose2310, Silverdrake, Lolita, **Eaiva le Fay** (Harry is Harry and this Harry is a nerd, instead of being passionate about Quidditch, it's books), Westerly, aerin, chibineko, **Kathy stgqvk **(you would think dumbly would give up? did Voldie when he lost?), The Shadow Bandit, redrum, Eternal Cosmos, Aspid, and Kateri1.


	8. Exhaustion

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash.  If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it!  It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta: Blackumbridge

Short Note: Some have complained chapters are short for this.  I apologize.  I can only write about 500 words a day so to keep updates weekly, I have to limit myself to 3,000 words/chapter.  

_I_ have fallen  
There is **_no_** escape  
This is my _destiny  
_My **_fate_** is yours  
Do what _you_ will  
I **_am_** yours  
I have _fallen  
_Fallen **_hard_** for you  
_Save_ me  
I **_need_** you  
I _want_ you  
For I **_love_** you

8: **Exhaustion** (January 17, 2004 to January 19, 2004)

He was exhausted.  He didn't regret having Voldemort teach him.  He had wanted this for so long.  He had known it wasn't going to be easy though.  Voldemort was pushing him to his limits.  He didn't dare let Voldemort know that he was at his last reserves.  He had taken to spending all his free time in an empty room where he said he needed no 'disruptions' to study.  Usually Nagini was always in his presence, but Harry didn't dare let her see him when he took off the glamour charms that kept him looking healthy and refreshed.  

His body was tired but his mind was yearning for all that Voldemort could teach him.  Who knew how long this opportunity was going to last?  In the sanctity of his private room, he brewed several strong restorative potions to get him through the days.  He rarely slept.  He was too busy studying all the spells that Voldemort casually mentioned and spent his afternoons brewing potions that would allow him to go into the wee hours of the night.  

Then there was his potions work that he had to do.  Severus wasn't as harsh of a teacher out of the classroom as he was at Hogwarts, but Harry wasn't about to take anything for granted.  He wanted to become good at everything, and his weakest subject was potions.  No matter how much he read or how many times he prepared--- he almost always did the first potion wrong.  It was hugely frustrating.  

His hand was starting to shake.  He needed another potion.  Pepper Up or something stronger?  His hand continued to shake as he debated.  Pepper Up wasn't as bad for his nerves as he knew the other potion was.  But the _Curative Cure_ would allow him to go at least until 3 in the morning if he took it now.  He had been careful not to take too much of it as it could get addictive.  This would be the first time this week that he took it, he decided it'd be all right.

He choked down the vile tasting potion and then carefully looked at himself in the mirror.  Thank Merlin that charms was his best subject, Harry thought, and thank god that Flitwick had started teaching him glamour charms during their private sessions during the school year.  If he hadn't, Harry wouldn't know the basics that he'd needed for more upper level glamour charms that he'd taught himself over the summer by necessity.  

His cheek bones were prominent against his hollow face.  His brilliant green eyes were dull with weariness.  His lips were pale, and body was starting to show ribs.  He could make most of this go away.  But he couldn't transform his entire body, not yet.  Especially not when he needed to carefully reserve his magic.  Voldemort had started pushing him to the ends of his reserve.  He was carefully to shrink his robes so that they didn't drape around his body as they tended to do now.  

The potions he was taking didn't do much for his appetite.  The reason that restorative potions were only given to those that were in dire need of them was that it took the appetite away and burned energy from other parts of the body that normally wasn't accessible.  Oh well, there was only a fortnight more before he'd be heading back to Hogwarts.  He'd make it and Voldemort--- none of them--- would be the wiser.  

He whispered the glamour charm and was satisfied when a rosy cheeked young boy in the bloom of his youth appeared in front of the mirror with sparking emerald eyes and lips the color of a rose.  He was ready.  

-

There was something wrong with the boy.  Something about the way that he moved that reminded Severus of himself.  He narrowed his black eyes as he carefully observed Harry.  What was wrong with Harry?  He looked as flushed with good health and spirits as he did.  He even looked better than yesterday, but there was something extremely off about his movements.  Had Harry used an enhancement charm around his face?  It was possible, Severus concluded, Harry was particularly good at charms.

But as good as Harry was at charms, there was no need for him to need to use enhancement charms for his looks.  Severus thought Harry was charming just the way he was.  "Harry," he greeted his student severely, "why are you wearing an enhancement charm?"

He didn't need to test it to realize it was on, Severus could feel the feint edge of magic around the boy.  It was rather sloppy for Harry actually.  It was the only reason that Severus could tell that Harry did have a spell on him, he didn't really look that different from yesterday--- only more glowing.  Flitwick would be quite disappointed with this result, Severus thought snarkily.  

"I---," Harry stumbled over his words, not sure what to say.  Oh god, he must have done a shoddy job today if Severus could tell.  If Severus could tell, then Voldemort was definitely going to be able to tell.  "I just wanted to try on a spell."

Severus rolled his eyes.  "You are much too young to be vain like a Malfoy," he muttered sharply, taking his wand out of his holster and pointing it at Harry.  "I will take it off you or you can do it yourself."

"I'll do it myself," Harry said quickly.  He then turned his back to Severus and took down the glamour charm and softly whispered another glamour charm that was more subtle and required a good deal more magic from him.  When he turned around, Severus was still evaluating him critically.  Fall for it, he begged inside, fall for it!  Don't see through it!

"You look tired," Severus remarked after a long moment.  "Have you not been sleeping well?"  

"No not very well."

"I suppose we could make a sleeping potion for you.  This one isn't like Dreamless Sleep, which can become rather addictive," he commented.  "It's called Slumberous Manipulation, and it's rather tricky to brew.  It's quite strong, but not addictive as it primarily uses ingredients that have some sleeping potential in them.  However, I recommend that you only take it a few times a week.  The nice thing about this particular potion is that it will let you sleep the amount you wish to sleep rather than the amount of time that you need to sleep depending on how much of the potion you take."

"It gives you control," Harry murmured in awe.  He needed a potion like that.  It would be a godsend to him.  There were times when he needed just an hour or so of shuteye to feel better.  To be able to control that without oversleeping would be the energy boost that he needed.  He hadn't allowed himself to take naps for fear of sleeping in on lessons with Voldemort or Severus.  "Sleep usually takes away control."

"Yes," Severus responded, "especially when you have a potion that you need to brew that needs a few hours to settle in between that you can't miss the exact time of stirring or it'll be ruined.  Potions like those take days of preparation and brewing, and just by missing a critical stir deadline it's ruined.  That is why Slumberous Manipulation is vital for every Potions Master."  

"When do we start?" Harry asked.  "When do we begin brewing?"

"Right now."

-

{He's exhausted!} Nagini hissed ferociously at Voldemort.  {Can't you see it in the way that he walks?  His body movements are all off.  You need to lay off of him.  He's only a first year!}

{He is going into his second year!} Voldemort exclaimed back.  {He can handle this.  Have you not seen the way he glows?  He's doing very well.  He'd let me know if I was straining him beyond what he could handle, but he can handle this and this will only make him stronger.  He's doing far more than I ever could at his age--- it's quite impressive and what is expected given that he's learned magic from an early age!}

{You are burning him out!}

{I am doing no such thing,} he scoffed.  {He would be dead on his feet and his physical being would indicate if he was being drained of his magic.  He's not.  He's perfectly healthy, if a bit thin, but then again he never eats much.  I have already demanded that Lucius bring to me his finest house elf chef to tempt Harry more.}

{I still think you're pushing him too hard,} she stated firmly.  {He has years ahead of him, and as you said--- he's already ahead of you.  I don't understand why you feel like you need to push him so hard.  What are you trying to prove?  He's going to be a strong wizard.  You know that he is whether or not you push him that hard.  But if you push him too hard…}

{I am not pushing him too hard.}

Nagini flicked her tongue out in a tsk-ing fashion.  {I hardly see him anymore.  He's always stuck in that study room of his reading and practicing for you and studying and brewing for Severus.  And then there's the books that Lucius also gives him to help him with Transfiguration and such.  All of you are overworking him.  He's still only a child.}

{He is my protégée!  And it's not too much work if he still looks like he could get up and do it again to the wee hours of the night.  He's a strong and capable wizard whose magic is becoming adapted to the hard regiment that I've put him through.  It took me years to control all the magic that was inside of me.  Harry is doing it at a much younger age and if he can, he won't lose control like I did.}

{That--- that is true…}

-

_Dear Harry,_

_I haven't heard from you in so long.  How have you been?  I miss your letters.  I can't wait until we're back at Hogwarts!  I've learned so much that I want to show you.  I know that you have had some problems with Transfiguration, but I found this delightful book a few weeks ago at an obscure store at Diagon Alley that should help us both!  _

_I can't wait until we're back together.  It's been so long since we've had some of our conversations about magical theory and the sorts.  As much as I missed my parents while we were in school, it's not easy to talk to them about theory when they barely understand the concept of magic.  _

_W/B ASAP.  I miss you terribly._

_Love you,  
Hermione Granger_

His hands were shaking.  He had to write to Hermione.  But there was still some of the Slumberous Manipulation potion left, and he really did need his two hours of sleep before he had to meet up with Lucius this afternoon.  He was afraid, terribly afraid that Lucius would be able to tell.  Lucius always studied him more than Severus did and if he had nearly failed with Severus--- there was no doubt he'd fail with Lucius.  And Lucius was much easier to fool than Voldemort.  

He was so tired, worn out, and exhausted.  He opened the clear vial and poured two drops into his mouth.  It wouldn't be long now; the potion worked horribly fast.  He'd soon be sleeping, his body would relax and he wouldn't feel nearly so sore and achy and terrible.  When he woke up, he'd be refreshed enough that he didn't feel like he was ripping his insides apart when he had to perform magic at the same time while keeping his glamour charms up.

Sleep would revive him and he'd be ready to start his game all over again.  

-

He hated the incompetence of the Ministry of Magic.  However, it was that lack of proficiency that had made it so easy to conquer the Wizarding World and to have it at their knees to serve him.  Some didn't realize how much control he had, but those that did resented him for that.  That meddling Dumbledore had done it again.  He had thought he'd crushed that old bumbling fool 5 years ago when he had killed his most important Order members in Sirius Black and Remus Lupin.  

He gritted his teeth together and stared at the doddering fool in front of him.  If anything, at least Albus Dumbledore was a great wizard despite his foolery.  Cornelius Fudge definitely was not.  He was more than adequate, or lese he wouldn't have made the Minister of Magic, but he wasn't anything great to be talked about.  It was time that he replaced Fudge and put someone else into the puppet's seat.  Someone who would deal with the mess that Fudge had made and do it so well that he wouldn't have to worry about the hassle of paperwork anymore.

Transition had been slow as he'd lulled the Wizarding World over a decade of years to believe that things wouldn't change even though he'd defeated the Light.  It had worked out as rebellion had died down.  Now was the perfect time, as there were so many that were complacent to make some tacit changes, such as removing Cornelius Fudge from office.  He didn't think many would complain about that--- Fudge was a moron and the Wizarding World knew it.  

Of course, they would rather have a fool to rule them than a Dark Lord.  That's why he couldn't take the position--- not that he really wanted to after getting a good taste of what the job was like.  No, he much preferred to work behind the scenes and control everything than to have to do all the obligatory things that a Minister had to do.  But he knew the perfect person who would relish the job… Lucius Malfoy.  

His lover would suit the role perfectly.  It would also keep Lucius busy and away from Harry for most of the time.  Not nearly enough for his own satisfaction, but enough to keep them from growing closer.  He was far more worried about Lucius influencing Harry than Severus because _he knew_ that Lucius was a master of seduction and that Severus didn't have one seductive bone in his body.  

It was decided.  Fudge would have to go.  He lifted his lips slightly in a malicious smile.  But how would Fudge go?  Not by _Avada Kedavra_ that would alarm the masses more than was worth the trouble of the satisfaction of killing the idiot.  No, he needed something else.  Something that Severus had brewed specially for him not too long ago.  It was a potion that would incapacitate the mind slowly.  And as it did, Fudge would have to name a successor and Lucius Malfoy would undoubtedly be his choice--- and the succession of the Dark Lord's right hand man would go without a hitch.  

"Do drink up," Voldemort murmured encouragingly as he took a sip from his uncontaminated shot of brandy.  "We have much to discuss, Cornelius."  

-

"You can put your wand away," Lucius remarked when Harry started to take his wand out of a pocket in his cloak.  "We won't be using it today.  I figured that you'd like a break from everything, and besides this is the last time that I'll be seeing you until next summer.  I think it'd be nice just to talk about what you've learned and other stuff you'd like to learn so I can prepare some material for you next time I see you."

Harry was relieved.  It would help him when he had to see Voldemort later tonight.  He wouldn't have to use up quite so much magic that he didn't have great quantities to begin with.  He was on his last leg, so t'speak.  He bit down on his bottom lip.  Dizziness was becoming a state of mind he was quite used to.  It was only a bit longer.  A week really.  Last week had been good for him, he'd recovered a bit when Voldemort had been called away on Ministry business and this was his first day back.  He'd missed Voldemort terribly though.  

"So you do have anything in mind that you'd particularly like to learn?" Lucius asked softly, his hand reaching out to grip Harry's shoulder warmly.  "There's still much more to teach you, much more."

"I know," Harry confessed softly.  "There are some subjects I haven't even touched like Ancient Runes or Divinations."  

"Divinations," Lucius sneered, "can only be taught by a seer and you will find no seer in all of Britain that is a legitimate one.  All I can pray tell you is to avoid Trelawney like the plague.  She will only teach you what will rot your brain and spoil what we've worked so hard to teach you."

"It is fascinating from some books that I've read," Harry murmured.  "I would like to learn it."

"If you wish it, all you must do is ask and I will try to find someone suitable for you."  

"Really?"

"Yes," Lucius responded, "but there has not been a great seer in many years.  The last great seer actually came from my family two generations back, an aunt of mine that resided in France and married a French wizard.  I believe a distant cousin of mine has inherited much of her abilities.  But I think your talents rest more with the Dark Arts and Charms.  Concentrate on where your abilities rest, Harry, and you will find it very rewarding.  And no matter how hard you study, you cannot become a seer--- it is an inborn talent and realized at birth."

"Oh," Harry replied with vague disappointment, already feeling the shortcomings that he'd never felt previously.  It made him feel powerless and inadequate.  He had never thought there was anything he couldn't do, not until he'd gotten to Hogwarts and seen that there was stuff that he couldn't master with the ease of which he usually learnt things… like Transfiguration and now… Divinations.  "I didn't know that."

"There's much still to know," Lucius whispered, his hand caressing Harry's cheek.  "Much for you to learn.  I only wish I had more time to teach you."  

As Harry wished that too.  Lucius was the only one that didn't push him beyond what he could handle.  Lucius balanced it perfectly whereas Severus tested to the limits of his mind of potions knowledge and whereas Voldemort stretched him to the end of his magical reserves.  Lucius did not.  But he didn't learn any less from Lucius.  

"I wish you did too."

Lucius smiled softly, Harry was far too trusting--- it was rather charming--- and far too easy to manipulate.  All that was needed was warmth, understanding, and comfort.  He had Harry's trust and friendship now, all he needed to do was wait a little while longer and he could being to seduce Harry to his side.  

-

Author's Note: Wow, I feel unbearably loved.  Thank you SO much.  Chapter 9 is in progress and should definitely be ready.  I'm not neglecting my work, I just feel more **obligated** to write rather than to um… read fanfics.  So it works.  It takes so much less time to write this when I feel happy.  Tee hee hee!  Keep up the good work.  A lot of things will become clearer as things progress, such as why some characters haven't popped up yet and why not.  And YES, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin are dead/gone/never to come back.  Sorry for fans of them, I don't want to deal with them and it makes sense they'd be dead if the Light lost.  

Thanks to _ALL_ MY **WONDERFUL** REVIEWERS: Calyx-girl, biblios, Fate, goddessoftheweb, **Sei Hishida** (and I've overdone Hogwarts in MOP), Sahira, Shuki – aka Quickjewel, Nelum, redrose2310, AngelMorph, **MUMSI** (I don't think you're unemotional), **eav** (you'd be surprised the insight I get from reviews on what I could do), **Maggie** (MOP is only 9 months old, I haven't been in the fandom a year yet, May I will), **Panya** (I procrastinate by writing, naughty us), **Yxonomei** (THANKS!), HoshiHikari4ever, kdalemama, **erristal** (ty), Alicorn1, **Sabrina451** (the AK curse rebounded from Harry but he didn't cast the AK on Harry, reread ch.1), Talin, selene snape, Liv, Maddy, Cicy, marishamarish, futagoakuma-tenshi01, **Artemisu** (kidnapped Harry pouts: I don't like girls!), Princess Pearliest, Vicious Lily, Aeslynn, pascal, **rayvern** (Volide's not insane, doesn't mean he's nice), **GY** (4th or 5th year), Shinosu, **Lasitar** (wow, poor bf), walkin', Aspid, lillinfields, **Serpent of Light** (I give Voldemort character in all my fics, he's darkest in AOM and a user in MOP.  Harry is not brilliant at potion but he works hard, like I suck at math but I still make A's because I try hard.), **TigerBlak** (well I only have 4 to 5 discontinued fics –only for HP- ;p I'd hate for the list to grow), serenity, Death-TheOnlyTrueFreedom, holly, Seirei, **riantlykalopsic** (sorry HP/DM is my least favorite pairing of HP/Slytherin, though much preferable to others),  ^_^, CrimsonTearsofPain, Grey Malwell, SilveredDeath, **Draconisdagger2000** (it is petrificus totalus, I made a mistake), Eternal Cosmos, **Wynter** (Your idea about the Ministry was great *_* definitely influential!), **Dark** **Artist** (nope, I don't like repeating plots, so next time is Gryffindor or –gasp- Hufflepuff?!), Charmed1s, **Celestial Slytherin-Black** (later), **Resggal** (You know, I think I reviewed one of your stories, it's wonderful), Dracolover411, Quila, **atalante** (ff.net's bitchy, but bio lab is MY bitch), Lolita, **Eaiva le Fay** (Haha, true, but he loves to please ppl, such a dramatic downfall for him and that is very relatable to me), bobby tray,** Black Diva **(later by 20 I think), **Xyverz** (sorry, no huggles), PxW, **~Mary~ **(Lucius is starting to change, but he still sees Harry as a means to an end as for LV/HP, I'm not sure I'm not writing ahead in this fic), deliolith, **Eileen** (I adore converting ppl, the BEAUTY of HP/LV, not TR, never TR! ;p), Kateri1, eli7, ankhangel88, Kristin, **The Shadow Bandit** (it was a mistake, should be petrificus totalus), **ozzypoos** (4th or 5th), Winnie2, Silaqui, Kris, Lindiel Eryn, Redrum, Cat15, **Queen of Vegetasei** (Dark Harry is a possibility).

Watch out for these new stories coming soon to FF.net: (if you review mention which you'd like to see first?!)  Previews are available on my LiveJournal before you make a vote ;p.  

**LOVE ATROCIOUS:** (SS/HP/LM) Non-magic AU.  Harry's an assistant.  Lucius's assistant.  An unquestionable arse, Harry _for some inane reason_ sticks with the arrogant actor.  It MUST BE love.  Too bad Lucius is blind, but fortunately fashionista Severus Snape IS NOT.  

**TOURNIQUET:** (SS/HP) Harry's magic is dead. His body is broken, but he has never been happier. He loves his job and he's with the man he loves. Why can't Severus see that everything's perfect the way they are? 5 years post Final Battle in muggle London.

**THERE COMES A TIME:** (SS/HP/LM) AU.  Before there were wizards and witches, there were druids and priestesses that ruled the British Isles. Threatened now by invading Saxons, they turn to the one young man who can stop it--- the High King… Harry.


	9. Burnout

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash.  If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it!  It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta: Blackumbridge

* * *

  
9: **Burnout** (January 20, 2004 to January 26, 2004) 

He couldn't do the spell.  He _could not_ do the spell.  No matter how many times he tried, he couldn't get it to work as it should work.  This spell was nothing new to him; he had learned it over the summer with Lucius--- and yet he could not do it.  Why wasn't it working?  He gritted his teeth together.  He didn't understand!  It wouldn't work for him.  It was like he was a squib or something!

"Getting frustrated won't help," Flitwick murmured soothingly, not particularly alarmed though he was concerned.  It was unusual that Harry couldn't pull off the spell when he asked his favorite student to demonstrate.  Then again, it was a 4th/5th year spell--- so it wasn't terribly disappointing, just vaguely so.  "Just sit down and relax, Harry.  I'll demonstrate the summoning spell to the class."  

With a quick flick of his wand, Flitwick then cried out, "_Accio _Charms Through the Ages!"  The thick textbook flew off the bookshelf and into his hand.  "This is a middle level spell," Flitwick told them.  "That can be performed easily by all wizards and witches.  However, it gets to be tricky when you are trying to summon a heavy object over a distance of ground.  That takes a lot of force as well as ability."

Harry was furious with himself.  But he sat down and watched the rest of the lecture on the theory and background and uses of the summoning charm.  It wasn't anything he didn't know, but he always paid particular attention to spells that he failed.  He was focusing so hard, he didn't notice the way that Hermione was staring at him with keen observation and concern.

She knew something wasn't right with Harry.  Something was dreadfully wrong with him.  It wasn't so much that he looked bad; he never looked better actually.  His cheeks had never been so flush and full of life, but there was something wrong with the image.  She bit down on her bottom lip.  It was the way he moved.  He moved like he was tired and worn out even if he looked like he was screaming with energy.  

He was using some sort of spell, and she had never seen him fail a demonstrative charm for Flitwick before.  There was something wrong, and she was going to find out.  She had an off period next, and that was always the perfect time for digging up information at the library.  

* * *

At least potions were going well, Harry thought.  Not only that, but that he also managed to get Hermione off his back.  She had been nagging him incessantly about why he had a glamour charm on him.  Drat it, if there was anyone that would have found it, it would be her.  She was far too nosy and curious for her own good.  That was why they made good friends--- they both thirsted for knowledge--- but it could also be an incredibly inconvenient trait in cases like these.

He had told her that he was just practicing the new charms he had learned, and that it took a lot of magical energy for him to maintain it--- which was why he was tired and weary.  It made sense to her, and it wasn't a lie.  It did take up a good deal of magical energy for him to maintain the glamour, but that still shouldn't be enough for him not to summon an object--- he still didn't understand why the spell hadn't worked!    

Thank Merlin that in potions he was feeling adequate.  He was able to do everything like it was only a mere afterthought and it made him feel better to actually be the one helping Hermione in this rather than the reverse.  He smiled and gently moved her hand away from the bubbling potion.  "I'll add the mandrake root," he told her.  "You wouldn't want to burn your hand, would you?"

She blinked then nodded.  "I'll go chop the chicken claws then."

  
He carefully added the mandrake root slice by slice until the potion quit bubbling and settled into a smooth simmer.  It was at this moment that Severus--- no Professor Snape walked by to inspect their progress.  He did not smile, though Harry didn't expect that he would, but there was a pleased gleam in his eyes that only he recognized.  It was slight softening that Harry remembered from the summer.  

"Adequate, Potter and Granger," Severus commended sharply, "but be careful not to lose concentration.  An incomplete potion halfway done right still needs to be finished.  Keep up the work and it will be a decent day's work."  

That was as much of praise as any student could expect from Sev--- Professor Snape.  It was hard for him not to blush with pleasure at the compliment.  It was pleasant knowing he could still do something right in a day that had gone all wrong.  

* * *

"It's a simple spell," Professor McGonagall began.  "But it can get quite tricky if you don't learn to do it right the first time.  The conceptual theory behind it is that it can prove quite useful when you need to carry large objects. Some very talented Transfigurators have even managed to successfully and safely shrunk live specimens and travel with them.  I would not advise trying that anytime in the near future.

"We will start off trying to reduce the book in front of each of you.  If you manage to pull this off, it will be quite a help when you carry your increasingly thicker books around school.  Now listen to me carefully, as all of you should know by now the severe importance of pronouncing the spells correctly if you want what you intend the spell for… the pronunciation is _re-du-ci-o._  Now for the demonstration…"  McGonagall raised her wand and pointed it at the stack of books on her desk.  "_Reducio!_"  

The books easily shrunk down to the size of a thimble.  "You won't be able to reduce it by that much at first, it's all about concentration on imagining the object of intent shrinking down to size.  You should manage to reduce the object by ½ initially and progressively more as you become more confident with the spell.  And as with most spells, it can be reversed with _Finite Incantantem_, which will end the effects of _Reducio._"  

This was a mindless lecture for Harry.  He wasn't even bothering to give the appearance that he was paying attention.  It didn't matter anyway.  While most teachers would have called on him because of his lack of focus, McGonagall never did and he was grateful for that.  She'd call on Hermione or Terry from the Ravenclaws and she favored Ron Weasley and Susan Bones especially from Gryffindor.  For some reason the old bat didn't like him, couldn't stand him--- and while he knew that she favored Gryffindors as badly as Severus preferred Slytherins… the outright way she ignored him was the reason why his grades in Transfiguration were less than to be desired.

The subject matter wasn't hard, it was just that he didn't thrive in a class where the teacher didn't give him the attention he needed.  It sometimes concerned him how much he craved having someone's approval, but then again--- there were worse things to crave and he'd deal with it.  And maybe he'd grow out of the overwhelming need, though he knew for a fact he'd never outgrow the desperate seeking of Voldemort's approval.  

"Who would like to demonstrate?" McGonagall inquired.  Granger was the first to raise her hand, Minerva noted, but Granger was always the first it seemed.  No, she wanted to choose someone else even if she knew for a fact that Granger would do a neat job of it.  What of Marvolo?  

Her eyes narrowed as she contemplated the idea.  She didn't doubt he could do it, the wealth of magic theory he knew was undeniable.  Dark arts too.  Not many knew of the association of Marvolo to the Dark Lord Voldemort, but she did.  And besides that attribute about Marvolo, he was also disgustingly not paying attention.  "What about you, Harry Marvolo or are you too caught up wasting time with your musings?"  

His head snapped toward her.  His shocked green eyes met her and it was strange how it reminded her of someone, someone that she had taught years ago--- but who?  "If you would like me to," he murmured cordially, "I will."  

"I would.  Come to the front," she remarked, hearing mutterings of astonishment and jeers from the Gryffindor side.  She didn't bother to snap at them when she herself agreed with what they were saying, though she did send them a withering look to behave and to be quiet.  "Demonstrate the Reducing Spell, Marvolo."

Harry took out his wand and pointed it toward a thick text.  He was slightly nervous.  This was a simple spell for him, but he had been having notorious difficulty with any spells he did that weren't elementary.  This was easy yes but not quite elementary.  But he did it anyway.  He had to.  Positioning his wand at the perfect angle, he swished it quickly and shouted, "_Reducio!_"

The text shrunk, not by a great margin as McGongall's attempt but it shrunk quite a bit more than she said it should have shrunk.  He was intensely relieved that he'd been able to do this as he had used this spell beforehand.  But using that tidbit of magic left him feeling slightly queasy, ill.  It was because it was a struggle for him to maintain his glamour up.  He had had to layer his glamour and ground them because of Voldemort, and if he could fool Voldemort--- he could fool anyone.  

He also had to pretend that he wasn't as bone tired as he felt, and that was an additional difficulty though it did not take from his magical reserves but his physical ones.  He gave a small smile to McGonagall and was about to sit down when she gestured for him to come to the front of the room.  What did the old bat want now?  Why was she choosing him when it was well known fact she disliked him?  Well, maybe not dislike but certainly ignored him.  

"That was quite impressive," she remarked.  "Why don't you try to shrink the stack of books on my desk?  It's been a while since I've seen a student do that well on a _first_ try."  

Harry suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at her.  He knew that she knew that it wasn't his first try, though it was still impressive regardless.  He considered it damn well brilliant considering his exhausted state of mind.  It still amazed him that Voldemort hadn't discovered it, then again their lessons had fallen underneath the dust as Voldemort had notorious difficulties with the Ministry's idiocy.  

Lucky for him.  But he still didn't know why he wasn't recovering.  He was getting plenty of sleep now, not having to worry about waking up in the middle of the night to reapply his glamour charms so that Nagini wouldn't be overly suspicious.  He should be recovering; he shouldn't be feeling this bloody tired!  What the hell was wrong with him?  He didn't understand!  He didn't understand it at all!

"Marvolo?"  His head jerked toward her.  "Do I need to repeat myself?"  

"No, Professor McGongall," he murmured politely, ignoring the snickering that was coming from the Gryffindor side.  God he hated having double classes with Gryffindors, they were unbearable.  Slytherins were much better, and Hufflepuffs were a dream with how well behaved they always were.  "This stack?"

"Is there any other?"

He managed not to scowl and bit his tongue to hold the words he wanted to snap at her.  It wouldn't do to have her irritated with him when she was the one Professor at the school that almost seemed to hate him.  He didn't understand why.  It would make more sense if he'd been Slytherin, the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin rivalry was well known and quite fierce in this year between Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy.  

Steadying his wand, he shouted out, "_Reducio!"  _He felt the power, the little magic that he had draining out of his body and shrinking the stack of books impressively.  They were still bigger than McGonagall's stack but still very small, small enough that he could hold it in the palm of his hand easily.  He blinked and shook his head.  He was insanely dizzy.  He bit down hard on his lip.  

"Marvolo, are you all right?"  He blinked again.  Why wouldn't he be all right?  "Return to your seat."  Yes, that was what he would do.  He took a step and felt a strange liquid feeling rush through his body.  He felt numb, and he felt boneless.  They sort of went together.  He took another step and felt true weakness.  "MARVOLO?!"

He heard someone gasp.  It sounded like Hermione.  He hoped that she would take good notes for the rest of class because he sure as hell wasn't going to, he thought as he felt his body collapsing.  It was a bodiless feeling as he really didn't feel like he was attached to his body anymore.  Hadn't in a long time, as he'd disconnected his mind from his body so that he wouldn't let the physical weariness of his body drag him down.  Now it was, and he watched from the sidelines with perverse fascination.  

Down, down he went.  Voldemort was not going to be pleased when he heard.  Damn it.  

* * *

"Is he going to be all right, Madame Pomfrey?" Hermione asked, feeling better about asking her than inquiring from Professor Snape who stood in the corner with a distinctive scowl.  She didn't understand why he was there, when he wasn't Harry's Head of House--- though he was the Professor that Harry did a lot of extra work for.  God, he couldn't be upset that Harry wouldn't be able to do his grunt work for him when Harry had collapsed, could he?  What an outrage!

"He's suffering from magical exhaustion," Poppy stated clinically.  "It's hardly a positive sign.  I've never had a case where a wizard suffered from such severe signs as he's showing so early on.  It's very discouraging.  Either he's been using heavy magic for long periods of time during the summer vacation, which is illegal, or he's simply not cut out for Hogwarts.  Even if it's the former, he won't be able to stay at Hogwarts.  It takes months at the least, and in most cases it takes a few years to heal from such an extreme case as his is."  

What a depressing verdict, Hermione thought.  Harry couldn't leave, and she didn't think it was the latter case.  He was too talented, it had to be the first--- and if there was anyone who could get pass the Ministry's regulations on underage magic use--- it was him.  She knew the truth, that he had grown up in the Dark Lord's household, and if there was any possibility of underage magic being used by anyone--- it would be by Harry.  

"It won't take years," Severus sneered from the background.  "He will have to miss this year, but it'll be no loss to him.  He already knows most of the spells the best Hogwarts graduates would have knowledge of.  It will take months though of careful revitalizing and strengthening potions, but he will recover.  The foolish boy," he muttered, _and it's my fault because I knew something was wrong and yet I didn't know exactly what.  _He knew it was his blindness that had failed to see… such a rare occurrence for him.  He'd been trained to be sharp.  "He will need to be withdrawn from Hogwarts immediately."

Hermione jumped up from where she was sitting and exclaimed, "What right do you have?  You're not his Head of House!"

"Yes but word from his guardian supercedes all things, and his _active_ guardian has appointed me his guardian for anytime period when he is out of the country."  Personally, it was a good thing Voldemort was being held up with another fiasco in Central Europe.  He'd be gone for a few months, and that hopefully would give him plenty of time to get Harry magically healthy again.  He'd prefer to be on the receiving end of a more forgiving Cruciatus.  

"But…" she glanced down at where Harry was still lying prone in a magical sleep that would help relieve him from the toxic pain his body would have to go through with magical withdrawal, "wouldn't it be best if he remained here?"

"And what good would that do him, Miss Granger?" Severus sneered.  "If anything, knowing Mr. Marvolo, being surrounded by magic when he can do no magic would only frustrate him more than he could stand.  I _would _think from all his friends, that you would know that better than all others.  Or perhaps, I was mistaken about your friendship with him…"

That cut her deeply.  His words because she knew what he was saying was true, not that it made it any easier for her.  If anything, it only made it harder.  Her hazel eyes shifted toward Harry's restless form, and she knew that it would annoy Harry--- as it would irritate her--- to be surrounded by magic and not be able to perform any.  And maybe being home would be good for him.  He always did seem really happy when he came back from summer, so his family life couldn't be as bad was what some rumored that it was.  

"You weren't mistaken," she responded coldly.  "We are the best of friends."

"Then it would be _a good friend_ that would go to his room and make sure that his things are ready for me when I leave with him later tonight," Severus suggested offhandedly, knowing full well that she was going to do it and spare him the incessant trouble.  Oh he loved how easily young children could be manipulated.  Too bad they were also highly impaired in the mind.  Truly a pity.  At least this Granger girl wasn't.  It was almost admirable.  

She gave one last look at Harry before she left the hospital ward.  Severus sighed and moved to sit down next to Harry's still form.  "You foolish, foolish boy," he muttered almost affectionately as he brushed away some of Harry's unruly locks.  "What are we going to do with you?"  

* * *

  
**Author's Note:** Hmm… reviews go up then go down then go way up then go way down.  Am I losing readers or gaining readers?  I really don't know.  Oh well.  Chapter 10 will probably be late.  As I'm concentrating on LOVE ATROCIOUS, which is a story I'm so desperately excited about I don't know what to do.  I want to release it, all 6,400 glorious words of it!  (I.E. it's the longest chapter I've ever written for a HP fanfic, or a fanfic period).  I've never read a story like it AND Lucius & Severus are so wonderfully IC.  Sweet god, how sexy those blokes are.  

Thanks to Aerhiana, LuciusHater08, redrose2310, ravenshaelo, **Eileen** (I do spend quite a bit of time coming up with the small details), **Liv** (you've got my fav name), Jessi Malfoy, **Serpent of Light** (of course Voldie will find out), Draconisdagger2000, Calyx-girl, MarsMoonStar, Calimora, silaqui, Kathleen, **TigerBlak** (I'll try), futagoakuma-tenshi01, **Lasitar** (glad you're excited about LA, it's coming out ASAP, I have read a few decent HP/LM/LV but no HP/SS/LM, what a pity), **DarkKeeper** (Ron will be in the story in some capacity), **Mrs Tom Riddle** (unless you're a Rice student that's double majoring, I don't have much sympathy ;*( which I am), **axavi** (excellent taste), **Aeslyn** (I capture it well b/c –I feel- like that ;p), Sahira, **deliolith** (thanks for the detail about glamour spells, actually helped me write a bit in this chappie), beatriz-T, HoshiHikari4ever, **rayvern** (yes Voldemort does fear that, sorry about the bad sentence structure, blame my beta I don't read my stuff after I write it), Nemati, **Vicious Pixie** (and hardly any slash movies), **Aspid** (4th/5th year), Gia, Rise of Chaos, **Resggal** (update YOURS and I'll update mine, how does that sound?), Nelum, wolfen-alysha-draco-dragon, dregori, Kathy stgqvk, **xyverz** (Lucius is Lucius), shamannogler, **Eaiva le Fay** (minister is a bit cliché for Lucius, but it fits his persona too well), Kateri1, **Lindiel Eryn** (Well Voldemort doesn't see him too much the last few weeks, only a tad bit enough to wear Harry out), ToonTowncutie, Redrum.  


	10. Recovery

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash. If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it! It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Unbeta'd version.  Read the mistakes at your own risk.  

* * *

  
10: **Recovery** (January 29, 2004 to February 3, 2004)

{You pushed him too hard.}

His fingers gripped his wand tightly.  He knew that he had pushed Harry too far.  He never should have done half the spells he'd cast on the young boy to sharpen and to focus his magic so he'd never lose control like he had.  He should have realized that Harry wasn't like him.  Harry wasn't foolish and careless, reckless perhaps--- as he'd shown be letting himself be drained to exhaustion--- but a fool he was not.  

{This is your fault,} Nagini hissed, her eyes flashing with venom and if she had been of the poisonous variety, he was sure he'd feel the nip of her fangs.  But since she was a python, she instead tightened herself around his waist in such a manner that he was becoming rather breathless.  She was just proving a point in her own way.  {It's _your _fault.}

{I realize that,} he snapped sharply.  {But I was worried he'd lose control of his magic like I did.}

{Even if he did,} she retorted, {it still would not have had the consequence that yours had.  You lost it after you had started practicing the darkest of Dark Arts, Harry hasn't even progressed passed minor dark spells and most of it is theory.  He has a better working knowledge on theory than you do and better control because of that, he wouldn't lose control like you did.}

{WHO KNOWS?!  I wasn't suppose to lose control like a weak willed wizard!} Voldemort exclaimed, twisting Nagini's body off of his.  {I lost control and I killed _my_ only friend.  Do you know how I felt after that?  He was the only one I had when I was young and I accidentally killed him!}

{It wasn't your fault.  If anything,} Nagini hissed with her protective instinct, {it was Dumbledore's fault.  He should have known better than to interfere with letting the Charms professor teach you how to better control the magic within you.  He was afraid that you'd become too strong, and it was because of him that _he_ died.  Shows what he knew.}

{I don't want Harry to have to live through the guilt that I did,} Voldemort murmured sadly, his crimson eyes a paler shade than its usual vibrancy.  {His mate has never forgiven me for killing her lover, you know.  You can't obliviate a basilisk you know.  And because of me, there are even few basilisks than they're used to be, and she will never reproduce again.  Basilisks mate for life.}

Nagini rubbed her head against his cheek affectionately.  {It's unfortunate, but I wouldn't say that she's unhappy in the Chambers of Secret.  She may not have forgiven you, but she hardly blames you.  She knows the true blame lies with the muggle loving Dumbledore.}

{Yes, and it has made her quite vicious,} Voldemort thought with slight glee.  {It's getting harder and harder to control her.  She never was a killer before, that was always _his_ job but since he's gone--- it's like she's taken over his role for him now that he's not there anymore.  She's a terror.}

{Yes, she is.  Thank goodness her stare has no affect on other serpents,} Nagini muttered.

Voldemort nodded and stroked Nagini's favorite spot.  {The question is will Harry forgive me?  After all, this is truly my fault.  I pushed him too hard.  I might not have been there to actually see his progress, but I knew that I gave him too much to do and not enough time to do it.  I wanted to wear him out, but I should have--- I SHOULD HAVE realize that it was too much even for a wizard of his incredible talent and power.}

{How could you have known when he was doing everything and exceeding your wildest expectations?  Even I didn't know…}

{You can't sense his magical aura,} Voldemort snapped.  {I can if I try.}

{But why would you when he looked all right?}

He pressed his lips firmly together.  {This is going to take him a very long time to recover.  Even with Severus's brilliancy with potions and the best mediwizards to be found at St. Mungo's, Harry's condition was far worse than we'd ever expected it to be.  It's a miracle it didn't kill him.  If I lost him…}

{You'd lose yourself.}

{Yessss…}

{It's because of him that you've become a better person,} she murmured understandingly.  {He makes you not want to be so cruel, malicious, and evil anymore because you don't think he'd like it if he realized the awful atrocities you've committed.}

{Of course, he wouldn't!} Voldemort exclaimed fiercely.  {He's innocent!  Pure!  Unstained with the blood of innocents on his hands.  If only I could keep him that way, but I can't.  This will change him,} he reflected with regret, {he won't be the same.}

{People have to change as they grow.}  

{I know…} Voldemort glanced across the room where a photo of Harry as a child playing around with Nagini stood on his desk.  {I know…}

* * *

Harry had woken up a week ago, but had been so weak that the mediwizards and Severus after examining him had decided that it would be for the best if Harry was induced back into a resting slumber.  That way he wouldn't strain himself magically by just being awake.  The fact was, Harry did still have some magic in him--- enough to sustain himself as long as he wasn't doing anything physically demanding.

It would take a while and a lot of rest before he'd be able to stay truly awake without suffering from extreme weakness.  It'd already been a month, and Severus made it nearly a daily occurrence to apparate to the Riddle Mansion to see his young charge.  Part of him bitterly resented Harry for doing something as stupid as this, since Harry was going to be put months behind in his potions studying.  But that didn't even account for the possible years behind that he'd be in practicing magic.  

Severus didn't even want to think about that.   Even if Harry recovered within the year to start casting spells again, it wasn't going to be the full recovery that he needed to perform the upper level spells.  Harry'd be able to perform 5th year spells without difficulty, but beyond that… Severus didn't know.  At least his potions ability wouldn't be affected too much, he thought wryly, because potions didn't require all that much natural magic.  Some, but not to the degree of Charms or the Dark Arts.

He watched Harry's pale form and was about to reach over and brush aside the messy locks when he heard someone step into the room.  It couldn't be Voldemort, Voldemort was again detained by another council in Central Europe.  He wouldn't be back until the end of the week.  That left only one other person… Lucius Malfoy.  Severus rolled his eyes and put on a bland expression.  God, did he dislike Malfoy's relationship with Voldemort and with… Harry!

"Do you ever leave his side?" Lucius sneered, not pleased to see Severus again sticking like a sticky potion to Harry's side.  It was rather annoying how Severus was always there, but then again it made sense.  As a _mere_ Potions Master, he had the leisure to actually spend time doing what he liked to do.  Lucius would have, if he hadn't been made Minister of Magic, not that he minded the role--- he rather coveted it.

"He needs around the clock care," Severus muttered sharply.  "As our Lord is gone and Nagini with him, I'm required to be here when I can.  Would you rather one of _them_ take care of him?"  

"Of course not."

"Then you shouldn't even bother having asked that question," he snapped.

"Touchy, touchy," Lucius tsk-ed.  "Whatever has gotten to you?"

Severus narrowed his eyes, but refused to take the bait.  Just what he needed, Lucius running and whining back to Voldemort about how insolent Severus was to him.  Luckily for him, Voldemort understood the fierce rivalry the both of them had with each other.  If he didn't, Severus didn't know what would happen.  He'd frequently be put under the Cruciatus Curse, courtesy of Lucius.  

"Don't you have better things to do than to waste your time here?"

"I do, but our Lord specifically asked me to check up on Harry occasionally."

Severus was almost certain that Voldemort had made no such requests; however, there was still that vague sense of uncertainty that made him hold his tongue.  He'd rather not deal with it.  If Lucius was lying, all the better for him to use it against him.  And what harm could Lucius do to Harry when Harry was trapped in the necessary rest of a healing and restorative sleep?

* * *

"He has not waken up yet," Voldemort remarked sharply, his hand stroking Harry's cool cheek gently.  "It's been a month, Severus."  

Severus inclined his head.  "I know, my Lord."

"Would you like to explain to me why?  I expected him to be awake when my trip was over."  

"Things don't always go as you expect," he responded tightly.  It was hard for him to keep the judgment out of his tone.  He was by nature a blunt and critical man, it wasn't in his nature to withhold judgment.  It was especially hard in this case, since he knew that it was Voldemort's fault that Harry was in this particular situation.  Potions wouldn't have landed Harry in this exhausted state, but being with Voldemort could--- he knew firsthand how hard Voldemort worked his followers.  

"Severus…"

He heard the warning, and he knew better than to say anymore.  If Voldemort wanted to ignore that _he_ was the cause of the problem then so be it.  He would prefer not getting Crucio-ed especially when he needed his facilities intact to keep making the potions that the mediwizards needed to give Harry through the tubes.  There was no other way.  If only there was a way to do a magical transfusion for him.  But Voldemort refused because that would mean giving away whose bloodline Harry came from… it certainly was not Marvolo if that was the case.

The mediwizards had been pressing him to release Harry so that they could search for a viable donor, but Voldemort had refused and as Voldemort was Harry's legal guardian--- his word took precedent even if Severus acted as a temporary guardian when Voldemort was out of the country.  Better him than, he sneered inwardly, Lucius.  He was still amazed that Draco had turned out so well adjusted as he was with an uncaring father like Lucius.  That had to be Narcissa's doing.  Severus knew that the only one Lucius cared about was Voldemort, he narrowed his eyes, and Lucius would use Harry, he knew, to get what he wanted.  He wouldn't let Lucius.  He'd become… a bit fond of the boy.  

"Leave us, Severus."  

He breathed in with difficulty, but nodded.  "I will be outside if Harry's condition changes."  

He was about to step out of the room when Voldemort's sharp voice stopped him, "Since when did it become Harry?"  

Severus swallowed harshly.  "Since I grew to know what a generous boy he was."  

"Generous?"

"Yes," he stated without hesitation, "Harry always gives everything inside of him no matter _how_ great the cost."

He saw Voldemort close his eyes as if he were pained by the words.  Luckily for him, his Lord did not raise his wand at that almost blatant insinuation and instead told him again, "Leave us, Severus."  This time he left and was relieved when the door closed firmly behind his back.  He could do without the tortures of Cruciatus.  

Voldemort waited, waited until he was sure that Severus was gone before he bent down to press his cold lips against Harry's forehead.  "Will you blame me as well?" he asked softly.  "Will you be angry with me like they are?"  He brushed aside some of Harry's hair gently.  "Not only did I put you in this condition, but I refused to make the situation improve faster.  You won't understand, but if I do--- then they'll discover the truth of who you are and we cannot have that.

"Never," he whispered.  His finger caressed Harry's cheek.  "You're mine.  No one else's."  

* * *

[3 months hence…]

{I feel like I've been dead.}

Nagini flicked her tongue out to kiss Harry's nose.  {You have been sleeping for more than 3 months now, Harry.  You've been gone from us for a very long time, and you still have more healing to do before you'll be well.}

{3 MONTHS?!}

She squeezed him enough that he wouldn't try to do anything foolish, but mostly it was for reassurance than anything else.  {Yes, you wore yourself out so completely that the mediwizards at St. Mungo's didn't think you'd wake up for at least 6 months.  But Severus worked really hard with his restorative potions which were fed to you through tubes and sometimes directly by instantaneous transfusion when you were in dire need.}

Nagini decided it was prudent not to mention that he could have been healed much faster if Voldemort would have allowed him to get a magical transfusion, but that would have meant giving away who Harry really was.  As much as she was torn at the time when Harry's condition was the worst, she now believed that Voldemort had done the right thing by not risking the rest of the world finding out that Harry was Potter and not a Marvolo.  

It had been a huge risk at the time when some of the mediwizards had said Harry might be severely traumatized by the lack of magic running in his body.  But Voldemort had persisted, not telling them why he was being so heartless to a relative of his, only telling her the real truth--- that Harry had the strongest aura he'd felt since Dumbledore.  And that was incredibly strong.  

Her doubts had been there, but they were extinguished now.  Harry was fine and he was awake, everything was going to be as they were--- perfectly serene again.  It had concerned her and amused her how anxious and caring Voldemort had been while Harry had been recovering.  And… _oh dear_ she had told Voldemort she'd inform him when Harry woke up.  As much as she didn't want to leave Harry, she had promised Voldemort.  

She uncoiled herself from Harry's waist and started to slither out of the room.  {Where are you going?} Harry asked.  The silence had been comforting and had reminded of old times when the two of them had been wrapped around each other--- thinking of their own thoughts in a reassuring quiet.  

{Don't you want to see Tom?}  He smiled.  That was enough of an answer.  Of course, he'd be glad to see Voldemort--- despite the fact that it was Voldemort that landed Harry here in the first place and in the awful situation.  If Voldemort was possessive of Harry, it was nothing compared to the unconditional love Harry had for Voldemort.  Her jaw opened and unhinged, her serpent version of a grin.  {I knew you would.}

Was there any doubt of that?  He only hoped Voldemort wasn't too terribly upset with him that he had missed so much time from Hogwarts.  Not that they would have been teaching him much in classes, but he had learned quite a bit outside of class with his special instruction from Flitwick and Severus.  He sighed and closed his eyes.  God, he felt terrible.  He wanted to drift back to sleep, but he wanted to see Voldemort first.  Who knew how long he'd be asleep if he let himself go?  

{You're awake,} Voldemort stated softly when he entered into the room, Nagini close behind him.  He turned around and commanded her to leave.  She didn't look too happy to leave Harry alone with Voldemort, mostly because she wanted to spend time with Harry before he fell asleep like she knew he needed to.  But she left because Voldemort asked and she was unable to refuse him anything.  

Voldemort waited until Nagini was not only gone, but far enough away that she wouldn't sense him putting a Silencing Charm on the door.  He did so wandlessly in a soft murmur that he knew Harry wouldn't catch in his weaken physical state.  He reminded himself that he needed to be calm.  It was his _goddamn_ fault in the first place, but another part of him was angry--- thoroughly scared by what Harry had put him through.

He had wanted nothing more than to give Harry his transfusion, especially when the mediwizards had warned him of the consequences but in his incredible selfishness--- he couldn't bear to lose Harry.  And he would lose Harry if Harry ever discovered the truth, maybe not all of Harry but enough that their relationship would never be the same.  Harry wouldn't love him unconditionally anymore--- how could he?  He'd murdered Harry's parents.  

{DO YOU KNOW HOW FOOLISH IT WAS NOT TO TELL ME THAT I WAS PUSHING YOU TOO HARD?!} Voldemort hissed harshly.  {DO YOU KNOW HOW DANGEROUS IT WAS FOR YOU?  I KNOW OF VERY FEW WIZARDS THAT COULD HAVE SURVIVED THE STRAIN THAT YOU PUT YOUR MAGIC AND YOUR BODY THROUGH!  AND NONE OF THEM ARE THE AGE OF 12!  ARE YOU MAD, HARRY?!}

A tear trickled down Harry's pale cheek.  {I'm sorry,} he apologized, his voice sounding too weak for his Harry.  {I knew that I should have, but I was scared.  I didn't want to disappoint you.  I… I was wrong.}

Voldemort sighed ragged, his anger melting away instantly.  He couldn't stay mad at Harry, not when he knew the cause laid in how hard he had pushed Harry, knowing that Harry would take it and never look back.  {Your recovery is going to be long and hard,} he stated instead.  {The mediwizards said it would take years; hopefully, the potions that Severus is working on will decrease that time.  But you won't feel like yourself for a long while, but you will recover.  I _will_ make sure of it.}   

{When can I go back to Hogwarts?} Harry inquired.  

{Hogwarts?} Voldemort muttered derisively.  {You won't be seeing Hogwarts again.}

* * *

  
**Author's Note:** I like the way I inserted a basilisk mention for Year 2.  I also did a neat explanation as to why she's on a killing rampage.  Teeheehee. Obviously, year 2 is ending soon.  For those of you that don't like that I'm going so fast, I'm sorry.  That's the way that it's going to be.  I'm not too interested in doing anything detailed with Hogwarts considering that I've already done it in MOP.  It will get more detailed the more time goes by.  Slash will start surfacing more 4th year, but might not hit home 'til 5th or 6th.  Not sure yet.  How did you like Voldemort's reaction?  Severus's?  Lucius's?  Opinions are great.  

**Chapter 11 Note: **I am too busy for the next two weeks.  I probably won't be releasing Chapter 11 until after these two weeks are up.  I don't know.  It may be updated, but I won't promise anything.  I find writing relaxing, but I'm concentrating more on Love Atrocious (it's 10,000 words right now and Chapter 2 is only partially done).  When I've finished Chapter 2 of L.A. I'll release it.  Tourniquet is being beta'd.  I should know after I release everything which ones I'll be continuing (if not all of them).  Thanks for your support.  It means a lot to me.  

Thanks to Alicorn1, Shezan, Yrael, **Amber-and-Ash** (sorry if Draco offends you), Bleak Decemberangel, redrose2310, amber-eyez, **Agar** (yes), **Draconisdagger2000** (it was a mistake), Solo D. Maxwell-Yuy, crissy, Tiamatyq, Liv, Gia, **Lasitar** (I love The Tattoo, Love Atrocious is the LM/HP/SS that I hope will breakthrough the barriers on that threesome), Quila, Felinity, HoshiHikari4ever, chibineko, **Serpent of Light** (all chapters are 3,000 at least, 9 was actually one of the longer ones), walkin', Sabrina (can I be lazy and not write?), Jessi Malfoy, Nelum, Eternal Cosmos, CrimsonTearsofPain, **Resggal** (I've updated, why don't you? –nudges her muse-), **Wynter** (yeah I know ff.net is a pain at times.  I think I'm trying to break clichés on this in some ways, I'll think about what you've said though.  you are a pervert in a good way ;p sparking my muse in delightful ways), juliaduvall, Kata Malfoy, SilveredDeath, Aya, deliolith, futagoakuma-tenshi01, MarsMoonStar, wolfen_alysha_draco_dragon, Shuki – aka Quickjewel, Nemati, Kateri1, Lolita, atalante, Aeslynn, **Xyverz** (Thanks, I do try), Redrum, **Artemisu** (Sev is god).


	11. Persuasion

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash. If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it! It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Unbeta'd version. Read the mistakes at your own risk. 

* * *

  
11: **Persuasion** (February 17, 2004 to February 20, 2004)

_My Dear Hermione,_

Her eyes filled with tears with the simple endearment. She missed him terribly. Oh god, how had she survived the year without him? And… how had she begun this year without him? It had been too long. It had been nearly a year since she had seen him. That was far too long. But at least he was writing to her now. It could be worse. It could be far worse. For months she had heard nothing from him, nothing at all. 

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I'm not at Hogwarts. I know how lonely you must be. Even though I enjoy being at home (and being absolutely smothered by my loved ones), I wish I could be back at Hogwarts. I don't need to say this (but I'm sure that you would want me to write this), I miss you. _

He was right, she did want him to put it down in ink. She knew that he missed her, in his own way, though she didn't know if it was to the extent that she missed him. Harry was her only friend, the only one that didn't use her for external purposes. He didn't need to. He was, without a shadow of a doubt, the most brilliant wizard she had ever seen. __

_My guardian doesn't want me to return to Hogwarts. _

But he had to return! He had to! She knew she was being selfish, but she couldn't imagine Hogwarts without Harry. While it was true that a good portion of her time at Hogwarts was now without Harry, she had always taken it for granted that Harry would be back and that they would be together in the later formative years. For Harry not to come back--- unthinkable! She couldn't bear the thought. It was depressing.

_He is quite upset at Hogwarts, which is understandable to a degree--- but if there is anyone to blame, it is me. I am trying to convince him; however, it's hard to make a strong argument when I'm still magically weak. You would best understand my frustration, Hermy. It's like the times you get frustrated over concepts you theorize perfectly but you can't spell cast it right at the first go. When I can't do the magic, I want to cry. I don't understand, magic has never been difficult for me. And now--- it won't work the way it did before._

Poor Harry! She understood! God, it was so frustrating when she could see the magical concept--- she even comprehended it down to its core, but she couldn't cast it because she didn't have the innate magical energy yet. She wished she could be next to him to give him a hug and comfort him. And for him to be so strong--- for it not to work like it did… it must be crushing. 

_I hope to be back next year. Professor Snape has been working on several potions that together should help me regain my magical proficiency. According to the mediwizards at St. Mungo, my case was one of the worst of magical exhaustion they had ever seen. Despite that, I'm still here and you'll see me again. The main point of this letter is to reassure you and to ask you if you'd like to visit me at Riddle Mansion? I've already asked my guardian and he'll allow it. Come, won't you please? Letters are so mundane compared to actually seeing you again. _

Come? Try and stop her, Harry Marvolo!

* * *

It had taken all his powers of persuasion to plead with Voldemort to let Hermione come to the mansion. Voldemort didn't see a reason that he should allow a muggleborn onto his private sanctuary, but Harry missed Hermione. Draco had been over a few times, but it wasn't the same. The way Draco looked at him when he thought that Harry wasn't paying attention unnerved him. Draco looked at him the way that Lucius looked at Voldemort. 

True, he hadn't realized the type of relationship Lucius and Voldemort had been in--- not until now. Voldemort had gotten a bit more lax about when Harry could spend time with him, and he was now often in the presence of not only Voldemort but Lucius too. And when Voldemort was with Lucius, it was hard to miss the look of lust that Lucius aimed at Voldemort--- and if he only looked a bit closer and harder, he could see the vague interest that also glimmered in Voldemort's crimson eyes. 

He also recognized in himself that he wanted that interest, that kind of interest directed at him--- not by Draco but by Voldemort. In a way, he knew it should be wrong. Voldemort, to everyone else, would be considered like a father figure to him--- his feelings would be incestuous. But he didn't consider Voldemort a father figure, much less a brother figure--- more like a kindred spirit and a best friend. And now he was starting to develop a crush on Voldemort, but he knew it had to be more than a crush--- his feelings were far more intense. 

{She is coming, today?} Nagini inquired, wrapping her body around Harry's waist.

{Yes, Hermy is coming today,} Harry responded, stroking the soft scales underneath Nagini's jaw. {I've missed her so much. I can't believe it's been nearly a year since I've seen her.}

{Well, it's taken you a long time to recover,} she chided. {And you know that Tom and Severus thinks you are pushing yourself to do too much to soon.}

{If I left it up to them,} he began furiously, {I wouldn't even be able to cast a spell now! I'm getting better! I can do most of the spells that I could do before. Even the mediwizards said I was recovering at an extraordinary rate!}

{Yes, that is true,} she agreed, {but you are also more worn out when you cast those spells. You are still not where you had been, and there is no shame in taking a few backward steps, Harry. You have far exceeded Tom at your age. You are more than extraordinary.}

{Still…}

{Regardless,} Nagini stated firmly, {you are not to push yourself. A relapse would be too easy, and it will remain easy for you to succumb to for a long time. You pushed your body far too hard.} And she still thought it was a mistake for Voldemort not to have risked it and let Harry get a magical transfusion. He could have just obliviated the mediwizards afterwards, but it was too late now and Harry was already making huge strides to getting better and a transfusion wouldn't do him much good anymore. 

{I know, I know,} he said this tiredly but with affection. He smiled and kissed her head. {What would you like for lunch?}

* * *

She was here. She was at Riddle Mansion. She had read about it when she had known she'd be coming. Not much was known about the Mansion, not much at all. And she was going to be inside! Think of the exploration she could do. How fascinating! There must be so many magical devices and wards on the mansion… and she'd be able to see and experience them all! Most of all though--- she'd get to see Harry again. 

It was strange though, being escorted by Professor Snape to Riddle Mansion. She knew that there were going to be a lot of students that resented her outside of Ravenclaw. It was because students weren't normally suppose to be allowed off the grounds, but she was because of Harry. Thank Merlin, Ravenclaws--- even if they weren't friends with her--- they still stuck by her side. 

Each step took her closer and she was close to running to keep up with Snape's long strides. She would have liked another escort, but she knew how close Snape was to Harry. Often in his letters, Harry had confessed to him that he didn't know how he was going to be able to treat Snape like his professor again when he came back to Hogwarts. Over the time he'd been recovering under Snape's care, they had grown to be companions. 

And there Harry was, standing by the immense gate that surrounded the grounds. He didn't look as sickly as she had last seen him without his glamour charm on, but he didn't look as well as she remembered him being. He was still very pale, if possible even paler than before. His eyes were slightly shadowed and his posture while straight was not strong. He looked so fragile, she could understand the hesitation about sending him back. 

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, running over to her and engulfing her into a tight hug. "I've missed you." 

"I've missed you more," she whispered softly into his ear. "You don't know how lonely I am at Hogwarts without you."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," she retorted. "Just get better, okay?" 

From where Nagini was watching over them, careful to keep hidden because she didn't think that Hermione would take too kindly to having a gigantic python in her presence. Besides, she wanted Harry to enjoy his time with his friend. And more than that, she wanted to observe his behavior with Hermione without having him know that she was watching. In better terms, she was spying. 

She didn't think that Voldemort would like how affectionate Harry was to Hermione, not with how increasingly possessive Voldemort was getting. It was amusing, but Voldemort should realize that this mere witch was no threat. While Harry was very caring toward her, he showed no outward signs except that of a brother to a sister. She had yet to tell if there was anything that the girl had for Harry though. That was still to be determined. But she had seen enough already, she withdrew herself back and decided it'd be nice to take a nap in the shade. 

Meanwhile, Snape coughed and Hermione blushed as she drew away from Harry. "It would do you well," Snape murmured with a deep inflection in his voice, "Harry, to listen to what Granger has said. Concentrate on getting better."

"I know, Severus," Harry responded with an easy smile, something Hermione wouldn't have expected any student ever to share with Snape. "I know."

The Potions Master inclined his head and started to move aside. "I have already sent the new potions to Nagini by floo. I have left the instructions with her. I will be back to check on you tonight, as well as to pick Granger up to escort her back to Hogwarts. Enjoy the day, you two." 

"Thank you, Severus." With that, Severus stepped out of the strong wards that separated them and apparated back to the edge of Hogwarts. While they had to come by foot and they would have to leave by foot, Severus wasn't bound to that in leaving or coming when not with an underage witch. Harry's hand reached out to grasp Hermione's. "Let go inside, shall we?" 

* * *

It was wonderful to have Hermione around again, Harry thought as he watched the delighted expression on her face when he showed her the library. It was too easy for him to make her happy. He just wished that it was easy to make Voldemort happy. And even more than that, he wished that he could always bring a smile of radiant job to Voldemort's face as he could with Hermione. 

"I would die happy if I had the chance to read all these wonderful books!" Hermione exclaimed enthusiastically. "Some of these titles," her thumb ran over the spine, "I would guess are in the Restricted Section and some I doubt are even available at Hogwarts." 

"They aren't," Harry confirmed. "Some of these texts are very rare." If Hermione was anyone but who she was, he wouldn't have dared to show her the library. Some of the contents, actually most of the contents were of a dark nature. But Hermione being the scholar that she was, saw the academic value before putting down a severe judgment that a Gryffindor would. Damn those narrow minded gits. 

"I know," she whispered reverently. "Do you think your guardian would let me borrow them?"

"There are some that he won't miss," he remarked, "but there are some that I wouldn't dare remove from the library. I'm sure that they have tracing spells on them, and well… they are invaluable considering how rare they are." 

"But I could take some?"

She sounded so hopeful, how was he to deny her? "Yes, you can take some back with you." 

The grin that split Hermione's face was breathtaking. She was rather pretty when she was happy, Harry thought. He wondered if any of the boys at Hogwarts noticed what a pretty girl she was turning out to be. It would a real pity if no one saw beyond her intellect when Hermione was so much more. And when those boys got interested, he reflected with wry amusement, he would be there to be her brother protector. 

"Thank you so much Harry!" she exclaimed, leaping onto him and hugging him fiercely. "You are the best!" She kissed him exuberantly on both cheeks. "You are the only one that truly understands me in the wizarding world." 

He nodded. He wish he could say the same thing to her, but he couldn't. There were several others that understood him better than she did, and it only made sense since they had known him longer. Like Voldemort, Nagini, Severus, and even Lucius. But Hermione was the only girl that he was close to--- like a sibling that he'd never had. And he cherished that. 

"I'm glad," hugging her back, "I'm very glad." 

* * *

When that girl--- that bushy hair girl had leapt onto Harry and hugged him so fiercely--- he had felt his eye twitch. His eyes only twitched when he was extremely aggravated, but he didn't understand why he was irritated. The girl had done nothing too abnormal, she had only hugged him. His eye only twitched more when she proceeded to kiss both of _his_ Harry's cheeks. What a shamefully affectionate girl! How dreadfully annoying!

And what made him burn in his being was that he was jealous. Jealous that this girl could hug and kiss Harry with a carelessness that only youth had--- something he had never had. How could he? Even from that tender age, he was already working on his master plan of taking over the wizarding world. His plans had come to fruition, and it had definitely been worth it. He had few regrets, and what regrets he had had been erased with the presence of Harry in his life. He finally had someone he truly cared about. 

He bristled watching them. He didn't care that Harry was lending out his precious books; after all, he had told Harry that the library was entirely free to his use. It had been one of the only things that had brought a smile to Harry's face when he realized that there was a dreadful possibility that his magic would never be the same again. However, even if Harry only returned to half of his full magical strength--- he'd still make a more than decent wizard. 

But if Harry was anything like him, and he knew that Harry was, Harry wouldn't be satisfied with that. So that was why he wasn't too surprised to see Harry moping around the mansion taking potion after potion that was suppose to help him recover. Severus really had worked miracles with his mastery, but it still wasn't progressing as fast as either of them would like. There was a slow and continuous improvement, and there was a huge hope that Harry would be able to return to what he had been. And what he had been was truly extraordinary. 

He was a very extraordinary boy, Voldemort thought with languid fondness. There was something still so innocent about him, about the way that he didn't seem to recognize that Hermione liked him as more than a best friend or brother. He had heard enough from Harry about Hermione to know that Harry only considered Hermione like a sister to him, nothing more. However, there was this yearning he saw in Hermione's eyes. It was similar to the gleam in Lucius's eyes. The girl liked Harry. And what was there not to like? 

Harry was beautiful. He was strong, intelligent, and an exceeding kind and gentle soul. But Harry wasn't for her. If there was anyone who would take Harry's love away from him, he would stop them. Not that Hermione could--- he knew that she couldn't--- yet that still didn't still the envy in the way she would affectionately touch Harry. He wanted his hands not hers on Harry. But it was too early, far too early. 

And it was all Nagini's fault. She was the one that had told him… because she knew them both so well--- that Harry wouldn't be opposed to his interest. It was wrong. He had raised Harry! Well, not according to Nagini, if she had her say she'd declare that she had mothered Harry and not him. She was right, he had been there when Harry was little--- but it wasn't a continuous presence that he was now. Now, Harry was impossible to ignore or be without. 

No one was going to take Harry away from him. And there was one person that he was worried about that could… and that person was at Hogwarts. No matter what it took, he'd keep Harry away from Hogwarts even if it meant allowing a mudblood witch onto his property. Hermione was of no concern even if she was an irritant. No, she was nothing compared to Severus. It was unfortunate that he needed Severus's skill to heal Harry--- if not, he would have separated the two. They were getting too close--- far too close. 

Harry was his, and no one else's. 

* * *

  
**Author's Note:** Thanks to everyone that patiently waited for this.  I realize there was a lot of Hermione, but she was there to prove a point.  If she wasn't there, some of the stuff wouldn't make sense.  And as you can see Voldemort is developing an interest in Harry as Harry is in Voldemort.  That was basically Year 3.  For those of you that are wondering if Harry goes back to Hogwarts, you'll have to keep reading to find out.  Also about updates, when I update it'll be on Friday.  If I miss Friday--- I'll update next Friday.  That way you always know the day to look.  I probably won't update next Friday because I have an exam.  But next week is Spring Break so maybe I can prepare more than 1 chapter so you can get a few updates in a row  like before ^_^.  For other stories, LA #2 is done and will be posted sometime when LA #3 is halfway done (so you won't have an excessively long wait).  Tourniquet #2 is in progress.  EOE I'm pretty sure I'm discontinuing.  

Thanks to **serenity chair** (definitely not DM or HG), crissy, yue, jules, Merit Somnia, **redrose2310** (Sev isn't working Dumdoor), **Anilia Hawkeye** (I happen to like Sev), Mikaiyawa, amber-eyez, emeralddragonofslytherin, Eaiva le Fay, **Deritine** (good question about transfusion, I hope I've explained it enough--- that Voldemort doesn't want ppl to discover who Harry is and magical transfusions are very people specific, only family members can give them usually), Achelois, **Lindiel Eryn** (if you look at a basilisk, it kills), Mrs Tom Riddle, The angelic vampire, **Alicorn** (LA is Love Atrocious), Sabrina, **Serpent of Light** (nope was doing bio lab, the bit about grammys), **pussbb** (yes it was unbeta'd like this one was unbeta'd), Gia, Shuki – aka Quickjewel, **Malakai** (cuteness is good in the right dosage.  hopefully this chapter met up with your high expectations?), HoshiHikari4ever, Calimora, **Xyverz** (Harry is of the bloodline, but it's not close enough and it's rare if not amongst relatives and Harry doesn't really have any relatives left which is why Voldemort doesn't want to risk it w/o any chance of possible gain), **Eternal Cosmos** (I enjoy tormenting Harry), Jessi Malfoy, **Resggal** (Your other story isn't as well written as your LV story), Iced Flame, deliolith, Solo D. Maxwell-Yuy, MarsMoonStar, Shezan, Fallen Dragon, shelleykids, futagoakuma-tenshi01, Kater1, Redrum.  


	12. Rage

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash. If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it! It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta'd by Blackumbrage.  

* * *

  
12: **Rage** (March 3, 2004 to March 12, 2004)

Even in his sleep, Harry was angry with him.  Voldemort saw it in the tense lines of his body, especially in the way he would keep twisting and jerking his body to find a comfortable position.  He pursed his lips together.  He was not pleased that Harry was furious with him, but he did grant that the boy did have a right to be pissed.  

There were numerous reasons why Harry was infuriated with him:

1. He refused to allow Harry back to Hogwarts until he felt that Harry was sufficiently well enough, which meant Harry had to be at least back to the magical strength he had before he had gotten 'magically exhausted.'  
2. He had severely limited Harry's contacts outside of the Riddle Mansion, which meant neither Severus or the muggleborn witch, Hermione were allowed to see Harry.  When Severus's presence was required, Voldemort had Nagini watch other their interactions when he was unavailable to see their sessions himself.    
3. The only person that he allowed to teach Harry was Lucius, who came once a week for two hours.  Lucius was only permitted to re-teach Harry material that Harry already knew to build up his strength without damaging the progress he was making.    
4. Not only was he restricting what Harry could practice magically, but he had also set a complicated charm on the library texts that prevented Harry from touching any book that he hadn't previously read before his illness.  That severely limited any new theoretical knowledge Harry might learn that he might want to practice when no one was available to watch over him.  

Voldemort understood why Harry was not happy with him; he wouldn't be happy either.  But it was necessary if Harry wanted to get better.  His initial progress had been spectacular; however, things had been progressing much slower after the first year.  If anything, it had almost stopped.  Harry was a more than adequate wizard, indeed he was now stronger than a good majority of wizards but he was no where near the level he had been.  

It made him shake with fury at himself for not seeing through Harry and for Harry to allow this to happen to him.  There was a chance that Harry would never get back to where he had been, a very great chance.  Voldemort refused to accept it, and he had not only Severus working on a solution but a whole staff of mediwizards at St. Mungo's were also researching new methods on how to approach curing magical exhaustion.  

He took a deep breath and reached out with his hand to caress Harry's cheek.  He would stop at nothing to restore Harry to what he had been.  Didn't Harry know that he was only doing the best for him?  Voldemort sank into the soft bed and made sure that he didn't disturb Harry's restless body.  Instead, he wrapped his arms around Harry's sleeping form and softly chanted a soothing spell that would dispel all the tension in his body.  

When he felt Harry truly relax, he pressed a kiss against Harry's forehead and left him to get some rest.  Tomorrow was going to be a tiring day for him.  The mediwizards finally had come up with something they believe would help Harry progress in regaining the magic that he'd exhausted.  It was a first step in a series of steps that they believed would help restore him with continued potions treatment with Severus Snape.  

It had better work, Voldemort thought with narrowed crimson eyes, he did not like his Harry being pissed at him.  

* * *

"How do you feel?" the mediwizard asked gently, his eyes flickering nervously over to where the Dark Lord was standing there overseeing everything with his critical crimson eyes.  "Do you feel any nausea?  Dizziness?  Pain?  Anything abnormal at all?"  

Harry shook his head.  He felt a little weak, but that wasn't unexpected as he'd been put under a rather extensive treatment that would hopefully help continue on his progression to getting better.  And even if he was feeling some side affects, he wasn't about to say anything, it would only get the poor mediwizard into trouble when all he was trying to do was heal him.  

He had seen the malicious and vindictive side of Voldemort much more over the past year, especially in their frequent arguments.  He clenched his fist briefly then made the effort to relax his body.  It didn't make him love Voldemort any less, but it didn't make him very happy with his favorite person either.  Why didn't Voldemort understand that he didn't care if he wasn't as powerful as he was before?  That all he wanted was to return to the life that he'd had before this mess had happened?

Freedom, how he missed it.  It wasn't like he'd ever had that much of it, but he had had some of it and now that he had less, he missed what he'd had.  But he couldn't blame Voldemort for being overprotective.  What he'd done had been very foolish and with all probability, would have lasting effects on him.  Damn his bloody brilliant luck.  Everything _always_ had to happen to him, didn't it?

"Well then," the mediwizard murmured, smiling with obvious relief, "you can go back with the Dark Lord then.  I'll see you next week to check up on you.  Make sure that you keep taking the revitalizing and restoration potions that Severus Snape has been making for you.  Just because this new treatment went so well this time, doesn't mean that you should stop your potions treatment."  

"I understand," Harry responded.  

"Good, go back home and rest then."

Harry nodded.  "Did you hear him, Harry?" Voldemort inquired lightly, but the hint of seriousness was there.  "He said go back home and rest."  

"Yes, I heard."

"I have been telling you for the past few months that it is in your best interest to stay at home and rest."  

"I know."  

"Now do you believe me that it's not only me that thinks that?  That everyone I've consulted about your condition believes that it is best for you to remain at home rather than to go back to Hogwarts and tire yourself out even further?"

Harry said nothing.  There was nothing to say.  

* * *

"How have you been doing?" Severus asked softly, his dark eyes peering at Harry with concern and worry.  It was the first time Harry had seen anything other than detached emotion on Severus's face since his sessions with Severus had been cut off nearly a year ago.  Then again, it was the first them they had been somewhat alone.  While Nagini was 'chaperoning' them, she was currently snoozing on a corner of Harry's bed as Severus kept a vigil on Harry's condition.  

"All right."  

"How have _you_ been?" he repeated, staring with fixated intensity that said _tell the truth._

Harry sighed and rubbed his cheek against the soft cashmere blanket.  "Not that good."  Severus raised an eyebrow that demanded an explanation.  "Bored out of my mind, mainly."  The dour Potions Master chuckled lightly.  "I'm glad you find that funny."  

Severus shook his head and explained, "I think you are the only one to ever say that life with the Dark Lord is dull."  

"He won't let me do anything," Harry hissed, knowing full well if he exploded Nagini would wake up from her beauty sleep.  "It's been more than 2 years since I've seen Hogwarts, and it's about to be 3."  

"You are getting better," Severus stated firmly.  "You will see Hogwarts soon."  

Harry lifted his head up and stared into Severus's dark eyes.  "Don't lie to me."  

"I'm not lying to you."  

"He won't let me out of his sight," Harry remarked, there was resignation but no bitter resentment.  He understood, though that didn't mean he didn't want to get back to Hogwarts as soon as possible.  It wasn't like he was happy to be away from Voldemort, but he had to go!  He had to learn to be a wizard and he couldn't here with Nagini and Voldemort coddling him like an infant!  "And he won't even let me learn anything new either."  

"You have to regain his trust," Severus answered.  "He doesn't trust your judgment anymore, and he does have good reason.  You should have stopped pushing yourself when you realized that you were exhausting yourself."  

"I didn't…"

"You did!" he exclaimed fiercely, his eyes strangely intense with something other than the usual emotions that flitted over his face.  Instead there was caring and concern rather than the normal dignity and air of command.  "You did," he repeated in a soft, though no less powerful statement.  "If you didn't, you wouldn't have gone into so much trouble of casting glamour spells on yourself."

"I…"

"You need your rest," Severus murmured in a voice that said no matter what Harry said he wouldn't allow him to get away with anything.  "Take this potion," he slipped a small blue vial out of his pocket and placed it into Harry's outreached hand, "this will help you sleep tonight.  Nagini has told our Dark Lord how you have been restless in bed for the last few nights."  

"It's because," Harry whispered fiercely, "I never do anything so I'm not tired enough to go to sleep."

"Your mind might not be exhausted," Severus allowed, "but your body is still worn out by all that you've put it through.  Take it and it'll help you sleep.  Your body _needs_ it, Harry."  

Harry sighed and grasped the vial.  "How much longer, Severus?"  

Severus pursed his lips.  "I don't know."  

* * *

"Granger."  

Hermione stopped and whirled around, knowing even before she turned around whose face she'd see to connect with the voice.  But why would Draco Malfoy address her?  Not only address her, a muggleborn witch, but also a non-Slytherin.  And he only got her to stop because he was actually being polite and courteous this once.  What was wrong with him?  

"This is for you."  Draco thrust a parchment to her.  "It's from Harry," he announced before he turned away and started marching back to the Slytherin dorms far down in the dungeons.  

She was so stunned, holding the parchment that he was almost out of hearing range when she cried out, "Don't go!" 

 He stopped, but he didn't turn around.  Instead, she ran toward him and grasped his arm.  To her surprise, he didn't jerk away though the look in his eyes was hardly pleased.  She didn't care.  This was the first bit of news she had heard of Harry since her visit with him nearly a year ago.  "How is he?  Malfoy, how is Harry?  Have you seen him recently?  Is he getting better?"  

"The last time I saw him," Draco stated clearly, "he looked far better.  Now if you will please release me?"  

Hermione let go and before he could walk off she whispered loudly enough for him to hear, "Thank you."  

Ignoring the glances from curious students that had watched the unusual proceedings, Hermione took the parchment and ran up to her dorm to read it in the privacy of her bed.  She knew from the weight of it, it was a long parchment.  There were many things for Harry to explain to her… like for Merlin's sake why he hadn't written to her in over a year despite all the owls that she had sent to him.  

She knew something had to be up.. the question was what?  It had scared her to think that Harry had gotten worse and that he couldn't respond in kind.  Now that Malfoy had reassured her that Harry was fine and he was getting better, she felt more relieved that her fears were mistaken rather than angry at him.  Harry had to have a good reason for anything that he did, even if he had been foolish in getting himself magically exhausted… because he'd never had a bad reason before…

* * *

_My Dear Hermione,_

_I'm sorry for not writing to you.  Precious few of your owls have gotten through to me and only because Professor Snape has interceded on your behalf and slipped the owls to me.  Voldemort has made it impossible for me to contact anyone as he wants me to concentrate fully on getting better by cutting me off from anything of the outside world.  _

_It's working.  I'm getting better.  The good news is that I think I'll be able to be back at Hogwarts next year.  As much as Voldemort would like to keep me here, both Professor Snape and Lucius Malfoy, the new Minister of Magic, have both pointed out logically that I need to take my O.W.L.s.  Thank goodness for them and their rationale.  I think Voldemort is seriously considering it even if I'm not at full strength quite yet.  _

_Everyday is a new improvement though.  I should be fine by then, but I will have to be more careful.  But I keep reminding Voldemort that you're just as bad as Nagini is at mothering me.  Have I mentioned yet that I missed you?  The few letters I received from you were wonderful.  I treasure them.  Keep writing, and I hope I'll see you soon.  _

_I know that you expected the letter to be longer considering how heavy the parchment is, but there wasn't much time to write this as I wasn't expecting Draco to visit and he's the only one I dared to ask to send this to you as Lucius and Severus are under strict orders not to.  Thankfully, Draco is not.  The reason the parchment is so heavy is because if you use a counter transfiguration spell, the letter will turn into a book.  _

_Happy belated Birthday, Hermione._

_Love,   
Harry Marvolo.___

Hermione whispered the counter transfiguration spell and the letter transformed into a book as Harry said it would… and she gasped… what a wonderful present.  _The Texts of Witches Past._  Just flipping through it briefly, she saw that a good portion was devoted to Morgaine.  Oh Harry, how did he know of her fascination?  She thought she'd only mentioned it once in letter, but it must have been enough… "I miss you so much," she whispered.  "I miss how well you know me.  You'd better be coming back next year."  

* * *

"We need to talk," Harry declared firmly when Voldemort entered into the room.  

Voldemort raised an eyebrow and murmured, "About what?"

"About me returning to Hogwarts."  

"We don't need to discuss that," Voldemort responded coldly.  "You won't be going back."  

"I need to go back."  

{You don't need to go there,} he hissed fiercely.  {Going there got you into the situation and condition that you're in.}  Voldemort knew that wasn't true, but he had gotten into the pleasant habit of blaming Hogwarts as it was far easier on his ego than continuing to blame himself.  

{No,} Harry disagreed, {it was because I was trying to live up to your standards.}

{You still aren't going back,} Voldemort remarked forcefully.  {You aren't well.}

{I am as well as I'll ever be!} Harry exclaimed passionately.  {Any progress that I've been making has been nonexistent for the last month despite the mediwizards at St. Mungo's and Severus's potions.  I am not getting any stronger!  Face it!  I'm stuck in this state and I'm sick of not being able to learn new spells just because you think I'm fucking useless now that I'm weaker than I was!}

Voldemort's eyes flashed a deep and horrible blood red before he blinked and looked away from the flashing fury of Harry's bright eyes.  He could understand Harry's anger, but to have it actively directed at him instead of the passive rage that he had sensed in Harry for the past few months was totally different--- entirely unexpected.  Harry had always been… so worshiping and full of admiration for him.  Was it possible that it was all fading?  That thought sobered the initial anger that he'd felt at Harry's insolence.  

{Is it so wrong for me to want you to get better?} Voldemort questioned softly.  

{Is it so wrong for me to want to live my life?} Harry countered.  

Oh his Harry had spunk and spirit in him.  No one stood up to him.  No one.  It was aggravating and admirable.  {You foolishly put your life in danger before…}

{Tom… I can't be kept in a glass house.}

{Glass house?}

Harry sighed and nodded.  {There's a story of a boy that was kept in a glass house, or room or whatever and he wasn't ever allowed out of it because he had no immune system and if he were to go out, he would die.  But he was so miserable and lonely and bereft in there.  He could talk to people but he could have no physical contact with them at all.  He was… heartbreakingly depressed.}

{And?} Voldemort encouraged.  

{And one day,} Harry continued, {the boy was let out and he was so utterly happy to be living his life with the touch and feelings that he never had before.  Even though he eventually got sick and died, he was happy to his dying day and last hour.  It didn't matter that by removing himself from the glass that had sheltered him he had sentenced himself to death.  It was worth living that short while the way he wanted rather than living long and without any meaning whatsoever.}

It was a touching story, Voldemort had to admit.  But just the thought of losing Harry terrified him.  {I will not lose you, and you are in no glass house.  You are free to walk the grounds and I will even arrange for you to visit Diagon Alley if you'd like this summer…}

{That's not enough,} Harry cut in.  {I need to go back to Hogwarts.}

{But you won't,} Voldemort murmured darkly.  {You won't!}

{You can't always keep doing this!  Controlling my life like this!} Harry cried out.  {It'll be the death of me…}

* * *

  
**Author's Note:** I'm extremely sorry that it's taken this long to get this chapter out.  Hopefully the next chapter won't take that long.  I'm pretty much crammed until the end of the semester though, so I have no idea what will happen.  I'll do what I can, but I have no idea.  At best, you can expect updates every two weeks, but at the worse probably once a month.  But that'll only last until the end of school which is the beginning of May.  Other than that, it's all good to go.  I hope you enjoyed the chapter and aren't too mad at me about the cliffhanger.  Give me your thoughts, I haven't started the new chapter yet, so what do you think Voldemort should do?  What did you think of Harry's reaction?  Please review and let me know, I'd appreciate any spark to my muse (as  she's like brain dead right now, which is also another reason, in addition to my schoolwork for the slump.).  

Thanks to **cerulean tear** (ty!), futagoakuma-tenshi01, Celtic Serpent, Siderius Cimmerii, Lady Claws, Snape coolgirl, **LizBethy** (the only way for yaoi is for Harry to get older), Sharidwen, HecateDeMort, **tinkita** (Harry's very affectionate and craves it, but he won't be a slut), child of the new dawn, HoshiHikari4ever, Fallen Dragon, Resggal, chinesefireball121, **Gia** (Voldemort would never believe Lucius would ever want to fuck anyone else), **gizachick** (slightly is the key word.  Good prediction, but I can't say if it's right.), Jessi Malfoy, Nelum, **Eaiva**** le Fay** (I think it's natural for a girl, when her best friend's a boy to appraise him in a romantic light.), **Draconisdagger2000** (Voldemort is THE possessive**), wolfen-alysha-draco-dragon **(Hunted is dead dead dead, sorry), **Serpent of Light** (I like the word "moping" apt description), Arafel2, redrose2310, Iced Flame, Eternal Cosmos, silverfated, Lindiel Eryn, Bad-Azz-Slytherin + Chaos, Cicy, silaqui, emeralddragonofslytherin, Kateri1, Xyverz, Aish Luthor, Nemati, Shezan, The angelic vampire, atalante.   


	13. Returning

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Very important note that **YOU MUST READ** before you read this chapter: Good news… for those of you who aren't on my mailing list and thus were deprived for over a month with no Fallen. I did post a chapter but it's not available on FF.net. You need to go here to get it: inkstainDOTslashcityDOTnet and search for "Yih" and it'll pull up the only Fallen chapter that's on it. I have also posted the NC-17 Fallen on my ML if you're interested in looking there (author's profile). So you get two chapters for waiting for so long… now updates should happen regularly every Friday. Satisfied?

Disclaimer: This is slash. If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it! It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta'd by Blackumbrage.

* * *

_**Read above note**... You're currently about to read Chapter 14... that's right you're missing Chapter 13._   
  
14: **Returning** (May 8, 2004 to May 9, 2004)

Both Severus and Lucius had been suggesting to him that he send Harry back to Hogwarts because of the OWLs. It was true. Harry couldn't very well miss those, and even if he was prepared at Riddle Mansion--- it would be better for Harry to be prepared by Masters in their field, even though Voldemort highly doubted that some of them were as proficient as they could be. However in 4 out of the 5 core subjects at Hogwarts: Charms, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration, you couldn't get much better than Hogwarts. It was time to send Harry back to Hogwarts.

There was also the other manner of him lusting after Harry and Harry simply being not of age yet. While he was relatively sure that Harry reciprocated, he'd rather wait until Harry was of age and that there'd be no dispute from the Ministry of Magic when he bound Harry to him. Of course, there was going to be some uproar--- but with Harry of age and all, well what could they do about it? And this no doubt was going to piss the royal hell out of Lucius. Hmmm… too bad.

It was settled. Voldemort dropped the inked letter he had written to Severus to get Harry's supplies ready. It was going to be an abrupt surprise because he had only decided today and tomorrow was when Harry needed to be at the train station to board the Hogwarts Express. But Voldemort highly doubted that Harry would be upset with this sudden change in plans, after all hadn't Harry only the other day been begging to be allowed to go back?

_Have it your way, Harry_, Voldemort thought. _You're going back to Hogwarts. _

-

Harry stood in front of Platform 9 ¾ with one of the many house elves that tended to him at Riddle Mansion standing next to him holding his gear. Voldemort would have gone with him but he had been called away at last minute to some urgent business in Germany and thus wouldn't be able to see him off. So instead, Harry was left with a house elf by the name of Leely who was entirely too sweet and far too helpful at times. When he had been growing up Leely wouldn't let him go to the restroom by himself without accompanying him in. Rather awkward to have a house elf stare at him while he did nature's duty and then have to have Leely clean his bottom like a babe.

"Oh look, Marvolo is back," Ron remarked with a scornful voice that only a Malfoy could really pull off. "Always one for special privileges, aren't you? A personal house elf? Now that's quite a…"

"Shut your mouth, Ron Weasley," Hermione snapped, rushing up to Harry and wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. "He's been sick and I'm sure the house elf is just here to help him with his things."

Ron snorted with an _as if_ attitude but he backed down and him and the rest of his Gryffindor cronies soon boarded the train. When Ron was gone, Hermione stopped glaring at where Ron had been standing and leaned up on her tip toes and kissed his cheeks. "You look so good, Harry," she complimented. "You've gotten so tall!"

"Or you could just be short," he teased. He really didn't feel that tall, though he knew he wasn't short either. Not with the way that Nagini and Leely constantly mothered him. Hermione glared at him, and as she stepped away from him he noticed the prefect's badge on her robe. "Congratulations, Hermione. You made prefect."

"Yeah," she glanced down and then smiled, "thanks."

"Who's the other one?"

"Terry Boot," Hermione answered. "But it should have been you."

"I was gone for so long."

She bit her lip and then nodded. "You were."

He grinned at her and linked his arm around her shoulders. "Let's board, we've got a lot of catching up to do."

-

"So this is where you've been hiding yourself," Draco remarked when he finally found where Harry was. "You're with Granger again."

Harry noted that Draco hadn't called Hermione mudblood or muggleborn, instead he had called her by her surname which was a definite improvement. Harry also noticed that Draco was a Slytherin Prefect. He almost sighed when he saw it. After reading so much about Hogwarts in _Hogwarts, a History, _he would have liked to have been a prefect too. "Well," Harry responded, "I haven't seen Hermione in nearly a year."

"You haven't seen much of either of us," Draco retorted, situating himself on the other side of the cabin. "So tell us how you managed to convince the Dark Lord to let you come back to Hogwarts?"

"I whined?" Harry answered sheepishly. "I begged and I pleaded? I don't know if it worked or not. I know your father, Draco, made a case for me to return and so did Professor Snape. They both said it was imperative that I take my OWLs."

Hermione started nodding her head vigorously. "It is important! I hope you've been keeping up with your studies while you've been gone, Harry! It's only the second most important set of tests! You need to do well in your OWLs to get into most of your NEWT level classes. I hear that Professor Snape only accepts students that get an O in the Potions OWLs. The rest of your NEWT level classes require at least an E, and there are special exceptions for some when they accept A's. Mostly if you have a really good grasp on either practicals or theory and just somehow screw up the other section."

"Harry doesn't have a problem," Draco drawled. "I bet he could pass all of them with O's easily." His silver eyes swept up and down Harry with that patent look of Draco that Harry had uneasily grown accustomed too. "Right, Harry?"

"Maybe if I hadn't gotten sick," Harry muttered. "I haven't been able to learn anything new since 2nd year, so I bet I'm behind."

"Oh no!" Hermione exclaimed.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Relax Granger. Harry already came into Hogwarts knowing more about magic than most students that graduate here at Hogwarts know."

"That may be so," Harry murmured, "but I haven't been able to practice much, so even if my theory is strong I'm pretty sure my practical will be my downfall."

"Then we will have to work on that, won't we?" Draco replied.

"Well," Hermione amended, "we'll work on it but you won't be getting exhausted on us again, Harry Marvolo!"

Harry smiled at Hermione and rested his head on her shoulder. "I promise I'll let you know if I feel strained."

"You'd better!"

-

"Welcome back Harry," Flitwick greeted his favorite Charms student with a warm smile as Harry walked back into the Charms classroom for the first time in almost 3 years. "You've been missed."

Harry grinned at his Head of House and sat at the very front of the classroom like he typically did next to Hermione. This year he had double Charms to _his great delight_ and it was double Charms with Hufflepuff. He liked having double classes with Hufflepuff. Despite the prejudices the other Houses had against Hufflepuff, Hufflepuffs were very kind and gentle. "I'm glad to be back, Professor Flitwick."

Flitwick nodded and stepped on the stool that gave him the height that was necessary for the entire class to see him when he was showing them how to cast a new spell. "Today," Flitwick began, "we will be learning about advanced glamour spells. Would anyone like to demonstrate if they have ever tried such spells?"

Hermione jabbed him in the side and her eyes sparkled as Harry raised his hand. Flitwick's smile only broadened as he pointed his hand at Harry, "Marvolo?"

Standing up, Harry went to the front of the class like he was used to doing and it felt like old times again to be performing the new spells that most of the class had never done before as an example. God how he had missed actually casting spells without Nagini and Voldemort hovering carefully over him. It was a bloody nuisance when he wasn't going to repeat the same mistake twice! Didn't they realize that he'd learned his sodding lesson?

Raising his wand, Harry concentrated on the image that he wanted to be transformed into before he cried out, "_Glamourie__!"_

The surge of power was a bit more reluctant to come out than it used to be, but it was coming with far more energy than it had ever come in the last 2 years and it gave Harry a heady sensation. He almost felt like he was back to normal. Of course, he wasn't but at this moment he could pretend he was. When he felt the spell anchor itself down onto his features, he could tell by the stunned looks of his classmates and the approving spark in Flitwick's eyes that he had succeeded in making himself look like a hag.

"5 points to Ravenclaw."

-

Why was Draco asking for him to meet him at the library after dinner, Harry wondered, studying the note from the Malfoy heir with confusion. When he had asked Hermione about it, Hermione had just rolled her eyes and had told him to just go and see what Malfoy wanted. Obviously Hermione knew the reason behind the request from the way her eyes dancing around mischievously. The real question was why she wouldn't tell him! Whatever, he might as well go see what Draco wanted.

After dinner, he swiftly walked toward the library, knowing that he'd be earlier than Draco because he had seen that Draco was still eating. But he just couldn't stand all the amusement that was gleaming far too keenly out of Hermione's eyes. What the bloody hell was up with her? Girls, he wrinkled his nose, he didn't understand them, especially that Cho Chang girl that kept looking at him and fluttering her eyes at him. If Hermione hadn't told him that Cho Chang was flirting with him, he never would have gotten it.

He sighed and slumped down on one of the comfortable chairs in the library. Hermione teased that he was hopelessly oblivious. Who cared about girls? Girls meant nothing to him, and they couldn't compare to _his _Voldemort. Well, he thought bitterly, Voldemort wasn't his yet. Lucius was the one that was getting his ass fucked by Voldemort. Harry had no delusions. Voldemort would top and Lucius would bottom. That was the order of things.

He had done some experimentation in his bed after he'd put silencing spells up and had discovered with his fingers that he might quite like the idea of bottoming. Of course, he wouldn't really know until he tried it but it didn't hurt quite as much as the book Lucius had given him had said that it would hurt for a first time. Then again, his fingers were nothing compared to an aroused penis.

"Harry," Draco stated.

Harry's head snapped up in surprise as he had been lost in his thoughts. When he raised his head, he again saw the same expression that he was beginning to think was associated with both Malfoys. However, he did have to admit while Lucius Malfoy did look at him like that, it wasn't quite to the same degree that he looked at Voldemort and it aggravated Harry. The intensity in which Lucius gazed at Voldemort was somewhat like what Harry was seeing from Draco. Suddenly Hermione's bemused eyes made sense. Grrr… he was bloody oblivious.

The way Draco was standing didn't leave anything to the imagination, especially when he brushed aside his robes and seemed to thrust his hips out ostentatiously. The bulge in his trousers was unmistakable. Harry suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. He thought that Malfoys were supposed to have more tact than this. Clearly that was not the case. Despite the fact he didn't find Draco Malfoy on the top of his must-shag list, he let his eyes roam over the tempting image that Draco made.

Draco was certainly a looker. There was no doubt about that. However, first off--- Draco was blond. Harry realized early on because of his admiration _and_ his love for Voldemort, he preferred dark-headed men--- and only men. If he had felt anything at all for the female sex, Hermione would have done that for him… especially when he had seen her again. She had blossomed into a beauty. Amazing what puberty did to the frizzle mess of her hair and the geeky girl that he used to know.

She wasn't only turning his head, Harry mused. She had caught a few admirers even outside of Ravenclaw, despite how intimidating he knew that her brain could be. It was a good thing that he had come back to Hogwarts so he could be the typical 'brother figure.' He was sure that it'd annoy her a bit, but she was no worse with all her mothering of him. She was acting far worse than a sibling figure.

"Harry," Draco murmured again, his eyes flickering up and down slowly over Harry's form in such a blatant manner that Harry felt distressingly naked. "You do know what my father is to the Dark Lord, do you not?"

Harry gulped and had to take a step back as Draco began to approach him. He wanted to nod, but he felt frozen stiff by some emotion that he couldn't put his finger on. It could be fear or it could be nerves. It was probably a mixture of the two. Bloody hell, he did know one thing though! Draco was making him _very_ uncomfortable.

"If you don't know," Draco whispered, "I'll be more than happy to show you."

Oh, Harry knew all right what Lucius was to Voldemort. And as tempting of an image as Draco might make, he definitely didn't want to shag someone his age. He actually couldn't imagine shagging Draco. Draco was like… a friend… or something and definitely not a shag buddy. Harry actually didn't want to shag anyone but Voldemort, not if he could help it. However, he doubted someone of Voldemort's age would like an inexperienced and naïve boy--- he needed to learn the stuff that he read about… but not with Draco!

"I know," Harry snapped, speaking in a harsher tone than he'd intended as he brushed by Draco. "I know what your father is to Voldemort." Draco winced as he said Voldemort's name. Harry didn't care because he didn't like the reminder that Draco had given to him that Voldemort was fucking someone that wasn't him! "And as tempting as your offer may seem, I am not interested."

Draco moved to block him and narrowed his silver eyes into venomous slits. Harry could feel the waves of tension pouring off of him at being rejected. He knew that Malfoys didn't take rejections well at all. It wasn't something Nagini had to tell, though she had. He just had the feeling that Draco--- it was just the way that he was. Harry wasn't about to let Draco intimidate him. If he didn't let Voldemort make him back down, there was no way that Draco was! Besides, he found Hermione's smothering a whole lot more terrifying than Draco's patent glare.

"Move aside," Harry said softly but with force.

"No."

"Move aside, Draco."

Draco shook his head and when Harry tried to move past him again, Draco used his taller and more sizable body to trap Harry against the wall. "I'm not moving," Draco declared as he dipped his head down and kissed Harry's closed lips. "I know you want me, even if you are unwilling to admit it." He kept kissing Harry, trying to slip his tongue between Harry's soft lips even though Harry was struggling impressively against him.

It wasn't like he wasn't trying to get Draco off of him. But Draco was taller and stronger than him, and he simply couldn't make Draco move unless Draco wanted to be moved. As it was, Harry noticed as he continued to struggle the bulge in Draco's trousers was rubbing against his crotch with even harder movements. Oh god, he knew what was happening. Draco was getting excited, more excited than he had been. Fuck.

"Draco Malfoy," Harry sighed when he heard the familiar voice of Severus Snape, "I would have never thought a Malfoy would ever have to use force to get a snog. Don't you Malfoys pride yourself in your abilities to seduce?"

Draco had broken his mouth away from Harry and glared at his Head of House for the interruption. Whatever he had been about to say was cut off as Severus didn't give Draco the chance to speak, "Go back to the dorms. 25 points will be taken for trying to coerce another student into a sexual situation that he did not ask for. You will also see me for detention every day for the next week, do you understand me… Draco?"

"Yes, sir," Draco spat out spitefully, and with one last lingering look departed for the Slytherin dorms.

Harry sagged with relief against the wall. "Thanks, Severus."

"Come with me," Severus stated, gesturing for Harry to follow him. "Did you not get my note?"

"No."

"You were suppose to report to the dungeons after dinner to get some new potions I've been making that will help energize you that don't work as potently as Pepper Up, but are far less addictive," Severus remarked. "When you didn't come down, I presumed the stupid house elf I had given the note to had managed to screw things up. I kindly asked your friend Granger where you might be and she had told me that you'd be in the Library. What was going on with Draco? He was forcing you, was he not?"

Harry noticed Severus's voice got tighter the more he spoke, and Harry knew that Draco wasn't going to be having a pleasant time in detention at all. "He took a rejection badly."

"He propositioned you to join him in his bed, did he not?"

Harry nodded.

Severus snorted. "Draco's a Slytherin slut."

"He's been a good friend, and I suppose I led him on by coming to meet him. I just didn't think…" Harry trailed off. "That he was interested in me like that. I can be too oblivious."

Severus smirked. "I will have a talk with him. That was rather unlike him to force anyone. Malfoys take a good deal of pride in the ability to drive anyone to lust with just a look. If he bothers you again, let me know."

"I will."

"You'd better."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Thanks for all your support over the past several months while I've been updating sporadically (or in some cases… not at all). I will be updating this every Friday like before unless something unfortunate happens to me. The next chapter's already written so expect that next Friday. Reviews are nice food for tired worn out me. (God I forgot how much I hate working fulltime then I come home and think I ought to write b/c I have no homework instead of just browsing and doing nothing and so this is what you get, hopefully you like it?!).

Fallen is scheduled to be 20 chapters long, so I should be done by the end of June.


	14. Progress

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash. If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it! It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta'd by Blackumbrage.

* * *

15: **Progress**

It was good to be going home for Christmas, Harry thought.  There were many reasons why.  He got to escape the pressures of preparing for his OWLs.  He also got to run away from Hermione, who being the perfectionist that she was, was driving him nuts getting him to prepare for his OWLs.  In addition, he got to get away from Draco who despite the rejection was still watching him with eyes that stripped him naked.  And in going home, there were no more Gryffindors that would ridicule him anymore.  Ron Weasley was by far the worst. 

But the biggest reason that he wanted to go home was because Voldemort had promised to be back from his series of meetings in Eastern Europe when he came back for Christmas.  He was going to hold Voldemort to that promise.  If Voldemort wasn't there, he was going to throw a flaming fit.  The only reason that made him sad to leave Hogwarts, Harry reflected, was that he wouldn't get to spend his evenings chatting away with Severus in the Potions office. 

"Did you pack everything?" she asked.

Harry nodded.  "I have."

Hermione grinned and linked arms with him.  "Then what are you doing here staring out the window?  We ought to be going down to the Hogwarts Express and nab ourselves a cabin." 

"I guess," Harry mused, "I drifted." 

Hermione chuckled.  "You're always drifting nowadays.  Come on, let's go." 

Harry allowed Hermione to drag him down the stairs and to the train station.  When they arrived there, he was surprised to see Severus Snape standing there.  It was usually Hagrid that sent them off.  So what was Severus doing here?  His curiosity was satisfied immediately when Severus spotted him and started stalking over to him with his robes billowing behind him.  One of these days, he was going to have to ask Severus how he did that. 

"Professor Snape?" 

Acknowledging Harry with a nod, Severus pulled from out of his robes a small sack which Harry presumed held some potions for him to take over the Christmas break.  "This is for you," Severus responded.  "You are to take the potions as I've instructed on the labels.  Do you understand me, young man?" 

Harry grinned.  "I understand." 

"Off with you then," Severus snapped, whirling around and heading back to the castle. 

"Bye, Professor," Harry whispered. 

When Severus was gone, Hermione tapped Harry on the shoulder.  "You know, it's weird." 

"What is?" 

"When Professor Snape looks at you, he doesn't seem to have that same look of aversion that he has for all the rest of us.  He likes you." 

"Perhaps." 

The whistle to board the train was going off… cutting off any further discussion about the relationship between Severus and Harry.

-

{You're back home!} Nagini hissed with joy as she wrapped her body around Harry exuberantly.  {You're finally home!  I've missed you so much, Harry!  You ought to write more!}

{Two letters,} Harry teased, {a week, aren't enough?}

{There should be a letter everyday!} Nagini retorted.

Harry chuckled and dropped his bag on the floor, knowing that a house elf would pop out of nowhere to pick it up and carry it back to his room.  He had been very glad to see Nagini, but he couldn't help but be disappointed that only Nagini had been there to greet him.  {Where's Tom?}

Before Harry could catch Nagini's serpent-like grin, he heard Voldemort's voice behind him: {Here.}

Harry whirled around and saw the object of his desires standing there with a smirk on his face.  Without thinking, Harry launched himself at Voldemort, wrapping his legs around his waist and burying his head into Voldemort's chest.  "I've missed you," Harry whispered.  "I've missed both of you." 

{And we have missed you.}

It was so good to feel Voldemort's arms around him, and it was even better to hear him speaking parseltongue to him.  He had missed it while he had been away.  After so many years of falling back to speaking parseltongue mostly, it was strange to start speaking English mostly.  {It's good to be home,} Harry murmured.  {It's very good to be home.}

-

Sitting in Voldemort's study reading a book while Voldemort was conducting Ministry business from his desk was like old times, Harry mused.  He'd forgotten how many times he had done this in the past years.  How many times he had read a book, only to fall asleep and have to be carried back to his room.  Harry smiled as he glanced up from the book he'd just finished reading about more Charms theory that had been loaned to him from Professor Flitwick and spent a few moments studying Voldemort. 

It was his favorite activity other than reading about magical theories, Harry thought.  He loved to watch Voldemort when he was working.  The intense concentration that was on the older man's brow was apparent in the fine wrinkles that marred his forehead.  But Harry thought it gave him character, showing him to be a hardworking man despite the terror that he was supposed to be.  Not many people knew the real Voldemort, he concluded.  If they did, they would never be as frightened of him as they were. 

"What are you studying so intently?" Voldemort questioned lightly, having raised his head up to find Harry's eyes fixated on something with such intensity that his eyes seemed to be dazed. 

"You," Harry answered without thinking.  When he'd gotten out of his mind drift, Harry blushed at what he said but he didn't even attempt to take it back.  What good would it do but make him look even more foolish than he already looked? 

"Me?" Voldemort inquired, amusement gleaming in his crimson eyes.  "Why me?" 

"Why not?" Harry responded softly, not trying to be smart but it was the only thing that he could think of to say that didn't sound desperately pathetic.  "You are the most powerful, the most brilliant, and…"

"And?"

"The best friend I could have?"

Voldemort smiled faintly.  "Severus has told me you have been doing well in your classes," he said instead, knowing when it was time to switch subjects and making that transition smoothly.  "He says your preparations for the OWLs has been first rate in all your classes." 

"I have help," Harry murmured modestly.  "Hermione's brilliant at everything and she's helping with Herbology and Transfiguration.  And well, you know that Severus is still giving me private tutorials when I have time and I have restarted the special Charms sessions with Professor Flitwick." 

"And you feel well?"

"I feel very good," he responded.  "If there is anyone that would spot anything, it's Hermione.  She watches me like a mother hen.  She won't let me do anything that she thinks might be overdoing it." 

"It's good that she's watching over you."

Harry did feel a twinge of annoyance that they still didn't believe he couldn't take care of himself, but he knew better than to press this issue when Voldemort had already allowed him to go back to Hogwarts.  "And if Hermione isn't henpecking me, Severus is making me swallow potions after potions to try and get me back to where I was."

"He is only doing what I tell him to do, and I have told him I want you better," Voldemort responded tightly.

"I know.  I am getting better.  I promise."

"You aren't overdoing anything?" 

Harry shook his head.  "I'm not."  _It's not even like he was given the chance with all the watchful eyes watching over him.  Hermione.  Severus.  And Draco.  When did he have the chance?_

-

It was Christmas Eve and all Harry could think about was what he wouldn't give to have Voldemort realize what he felt for him for Christmas.  He had tried penning a letter to give to Voldemort to tell him about what he felt, but nothing seemed to seem right.  He didn't know what to do.  It made him frustrated and his frustration only added to the tension in his arousal, an arousal he found when he tried to satisfy it was becoming much less satisfactory. 

His intention when he had come home for the holidays was to tell Voldemort about his feelings for him, that his feelings were not that of a son to a father or that of a younger brother to an older brother either.  That his feelings were something more than that, and by that he meant that of a lover to a lover.  He wanted what Voldemort had with Lucius.  And he wanted Voldemort to want him in the same way, enough so that Voldemort would _give up_ Lucius. 

Nothing was turning out the way he had planned though, he thought glumly.  Every time he tried to approach the subject, every time he thought that he might be able to say something--- they were interrupted either by Lucius or Nagini or some urgent affair that Voldemort had to acknowledge and handle.  To say that it was annoying was a tremendous understatement.  It was enough to make Harry want to throw a tantrum like a child if only to get the attention that was being diverted.

He also wanted what was done in the book Lucius had given to him done to him by Voldemort.  He wanted Voldemort's hands to wrap about his penis, not his hands.  He wanted Voldemort, and it should have felt wrong but it didn't.  Voldemort was the wizard that he most admired and loved and he was everything to him, so who else could there be?  The only wizard he'd even thought mildly attractive was Severus and that was more for his mind than any physical attractiveness.  Nothing could compare to the magnificence that was Voldemort, Harry thought dreamily as he stroked his growing arousal. 

"Voldemort," he moaned as he stroked harder, {Tom…}

-

Voldemort froze outside of Harry's room when he heard Harry moaning his name in two different languages in two different names.  He felt his cock harden and lengthen in his robes immediately.  Did Harry know how arousing it was to hear him moan his name when Voldemort knew very well what Harry was doing in his room?  Oh god, what he wouldn't give to see Harry wanking off. 

_What was stopping him? _He wondered.  It wasn't like he had any upstanding morals to hold him back from claiming a boy that was young enough to be his grandson as his lover.  If he had any morals, he wouldn't be where he was today--- a power in the wizarding world that no one could rival on the British Isles.  Because to get there he had had to be rather cruel, killing or torturing anyone that stood in his way. 

The age difference would have mattered more to him if he looked his age but he didn't look any older than Lucius and well… despite the softening that Harry had caused in him, he was still the dark and evil wizard that had used his sheer force to seize power.  That much hadn't changed at all.  He could be malicious and be downright evil if called for, it was just with Harry he wasn't as inclined to be.  Then again, not all evil men were evil to everyone--- were they? 

What made him hesitate from storming into the room and letting Harry know that he would very much be obliging in helping Harry get rid of his erection was that he didn't want to ruin what he had with Harry.  But didn't having Harry moaning his name while he was masturbating mean that Harry wanted him as much as he wanted Harry?  It was what finally caused him to break down the barriers that had been holding him back for the past year or so.  Was it more?  He didn't care anymore as he opened the door and felt his pants get far too tight at the beautiful sight of Harry's hand stroking himself hard. 

{Harry,} he hissed.  When Harry looked up, there was no mistaking the look in those eyes, there was undeniable lust.  {Whatever are you doing?}

Harry blushed a bright red, but it was too late to stop what was going to happen as he came onto the silk sheets and shuddered until he finished his release.  He wouldn't have come that quickly if he hadn't seen Voldemort staring at him with those crimson eyes that seem to darken with desire when they saw what he'd been doing.  It was seeing Voldemort see him do this to himself that had been the final push to fulfillment. 

{I,} he stammered, how could he explain that he had been fantasizing about having Voldemort fuck him through the mattress? {I…}

{You said my name.}

Harry closed his eyes and didn't even bother to deny it.  It was painfully true.  While he wanted Voldemort to know what he felt for him, this wasn't the way he planned on Voldemort finding out.  It wasn't what he'd planned.  It made it seem like it was trivial physical attraction that he felt for Voldemort when it was so much more.  They had a connection, Harry was certain of it.  There was pull of magic between the two of them, and didn't their brother wands from Ollivander's prove that? 

{I want you,} he blurted out all of a sudden, not able to keep it in any longer.  He was horrified by being rejected, but there he had just said it.  What would Voldemort say?  What would Voldemort do?  Would he be rejected or would it possibly turn out well? 

{Do you know what you have done?} Voldemort whispered softly, not looking the least bit upset.  Was it Harry's imagination or were those eyes darkening with desire and the passion that he'd wanted Voldemort to feel for him?  {Do you know what you are asking for?} 

{Yes,} Harry found himself responding, {I know exactly what I've done and what I'm asking for.  I want you in the way that Lucius wants you.  I want you to have me in the way that you have Lucius.}

{Are you sure?} Voldemort asked softly, wanting Harry to be sure--- letting it be his decision because he wanted Harry to be the one to make it, even if he knew that Harry wouldn't say no, he needed to hear Harry say yes.  He wanted to hear Harry say yes because… even though he knew he could seduce Harry if he half tried, he wanted Harry to come to him willingly without him having to do a thing.  {Harry?}

{I'm sure.  I want you.}  Harry bit his tongue.  {Do you want me?}

{Come here,} Voldemort commanded and Harry couldn't help but move toward him.  It was like he was compelled by an external force, a will of some kind that had to be his own even though he couldn't remember telling his feet to move.  He'd been so stunned to hear Voldemort not reject him that he hadn't known how to act.  {Don't you know how much I want you?}

Whatever remaining hesitation Harry had was erased with those words and he found himself lifting his head up, offering himself for Voldemort to ravish how he wished.  He wanted to feel Voldemort's lips against him in a way that would erase the kiss that Draco had forced onto him.  He had expected Voldemort to be forceful like Draco, so he was surprised when Voldemort's lips descended upon his gently. 

And while Draco had pressed against him roughly, Voldemort's pressure was everything but that.  It was done with a sophistication and skill that showed he knew what he was doing and Harry felt himself falling hopelessly under his spell.  No wonder Lucius looked at Voldemort with such rampant desires.  He would have sooner if he had known that Voldemort wouldn't have rejected him. 

{You do?}  Harry felt foolish for saying this when Voldemort had clearly stated that he did want him, but he felt so uncertain--- so insecure.  It didn't seem possible that his wildest dream was coming true; it couldn't be--- could it?  Dreams weren't supposed to come true.  Fantasies weren't supposed to be fulfilled and yet… here he was and here Voldemort was. 

Voldemort laughed, and it made Harry tense even more thinking that Voldemort was laughing at him… about to tease him and be cruel that he couldn't possibly feel the same way.  He was thinking the worst that he was stunned out of his mind when Voldemort started to kiss him again.  This time the kiss was even more hungry, more like Draco's.  The lips were trying to devour him and well… if Voldemort wanted to… he could devour him, Harry thought as he helplessly pressed himself into Voldemort's hard body. 

{I do,} Voldemort hissed briefly before he captured Harry's lips again, letting himself drown in the sweet taste that was Harry.  He couldn't believe that he had waited this long, and yet he still have more time to wait.  There was still the summer before he could officially claim Harry as his own.  As much as he didn't want to… there was no other option.  {You're mine, Harry.}

{I'm yours,} Harry agreed. 

Yes, Harry was all his and this summer he was going to make sure of that, Voldemort thought possessively.  There was never going to be anyone that would ever take Harry away from him ever again.  {No one is to touch you but me,} Voldemort growled, wanting to make this clear to Harry if he thought he could dally at school when he returned.  {No one.} 

{No one.} 

He had to stop kissing Harry, if he didn't stop he was going to lose control.  It would be a nice and delightful way to lose control of himself, not at all like it had been last time when he had really lost control and had killed his basilisk friend.  As much as he would have liked to give himself up to his urges, Voldemort knew that it wasn't the right thing to do.  It would only be a few more months for Harry to be of age and when Harry was of age… well it would only take one small inconsequential thing and then… Harry would be all his. 

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**Author's Note:** Thanks for reviewing.  I hope you liked this chapter.  The next one will be the last.    


	15. Endgame

**Fallen**  
by _Yih_

Disclaimer: This is slash. If that squeaks you, avoid it and don't read it! It will contain _possibly_ all the following pairings: HP/LV, HP/LM, HP/SS, LV/LM, LV/SS, LM/SS.

Beta'd by Blackumbrage.

Why Voldemort wants to wait until Harry is of age when he shouldn't care b/c he's evil bad Voldemort?  It's because he _fucking_ loves Harry, and you do nice things for the people that you love. 

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16: **Endgame** (May 17, 2004 to May 19, 2004)

Voldemort had told him that they had to wait until he was of age.  Never had Harry wanted Hogwarts to end as much as he did during the last spring months leading up to the OWLs.  With nothing else to distract him but his studies, he allowed Hermione to set him up on a punishing schedule where they woke up at the break of dawn to prepare for their classes and then after their classes they studied like mad for the OWLs until well… Harry even expected to get an O in Transfiguration as much as he was simply not that good at the subject thanks to Hermione's help and all that studying. 

Of course, Harry did make time in his intense schedule to continue on with his Charms theory with Professor Flitwick and his private Potions lessons with Severus.  He enjoyed those private study sessions more than anything else.  He learned more in them, and he learned new stuff in them.  It never really took him by surprise how much he'd known, but now he knew--- and well he wanted to learn more.  Wasn't that the point of Hogwarts?  He didn't want it to be pointless after having spent so much time and effort to get back here. 

"Add a little dragonwort, carefully," Severus murmured, as he watched Harry's eyes glaze over.  It would have annoyed Severus even more if Harry was the type that exploded his cauldron when he got dazed.  Luckily, Harry was gifted enough with a sense of timing that he never accidentally exploded his cauldron.  There, of course, were times that he did explode his cauldron--- but that was usually because he was trying to fine tune a particularly volatile potion and well… that sort of thing happened.  "Steady, now, Harry."

It was when Harry felt Severus press up against his back that he jerked from his thought wandering and was brought quite harshly back into the present.  He didn't mind it at all.  It reminded him, in a way, of what he was hoping to feel when he was with Voldemort finally.  The attraction he felt to Severus, he guessed, was an offset of Severus having a similar coloring to the Dark Lord.  Both of them had dark hair and intense eyes, though the lines on Voldemort's face were never as harsh as Severus's constantly seemed to be.  Then again, in Severus's eyes there lurked something that was missing in Voldemort's.  Harry still hadn't quite pinned what it was. 

Harry tried to mentally remind himself that this wasn't Voldemort, though the hard body pressed up against his back and his ass felt like his fantasies of Voldemort pressing against him deliciously.  No, this was only Severus.  No matter how attractive he might find Severus, he wasn't going to risk his future relationship with the man that he'd been waiting his entire life for.  Even if he did want to experiment with his desires beforehand, as not to totally embarrass himself when it came his time to be with Voldemort, he knew not to.  After all, how could he compete with Lucius?

Lusty and sensual Lucius who knew exactly how to make his Voldemort moan and groan with the most pleasure?  It wasn't like he could learn in one night what would please Voldemort the most when Lucius had years, decades even of experience over him.  But he would know something, even if he had to dig through obscure books that he stole from the Restricted Sections and read in the dead of the night when Hermione had even given up studying and had retired for the night.  When he came of age, he was going to do his best to give Voldemort the best night of his life. 

"Pay attention, Harry.  You almost added the bitterroot before you should have," Severus reminded him patiently, though a bit of irritation was beginning to creep into his voice.  Harry knew better than to not pay attention now.  He knew precisely how long he could push things before Severus got impatient to the point where… well he would raise his voice and that's when things got ugly.  Severus only raised his voice against… everyone not in Slytherin and especially Neville Longbottom if he believed the rumors, but Severus never raised his voice against him not since first year.  He knew better than he press his luck in that. 

"I'm sorry."  Waiting for the right amount of time, Harry added the bitterroot at what he knew as the perfect time. 

"That's good, Harry, very good." 

-

His OWLs were done with and he had never felt this worn out in his life than even when he'd been under magical exhaustion.  The scary thought was that the NEWTs were only going to be worse.  Thank god though, Harry thought with some relief that that was still a good two years away.  But now it was over and he could look forward to perusing through some of the books that he'd bought on his last trip to Diagon Alley when Hermione had been distracted by some books for _light reading.  _

All the endless studying that Hermione had forced upon him had been good, Harry grudgingly admitted.  It had kept his mind off of Voldemort and off of what was to come.  The time had sped by more quickly because of that and he was grateful.  That was why when he swept Hermione into his arms and hugged her tightly at Platform 9 ¾.  Not only was he going to miss her, he was going to miss how she kept his mind off the impending events… not that she knew they were coming, but still---.

"I'm going to miss you, Hermione." 

She smiled and hugged him back equally tightly.  "I'm going to miss you too." 

"Owl me." 

"I will," she promised.  "Maybe you can even come visit me." 

"Maybe," he murmured vaguely, but he didn't think that'd be possible.  He doubted that Voldemort was going to let him out of his sight.  Harry actually didn't want to be anywhere but at Voldemort's side, but Hermione didn't need to know that.  "I won't know until I talk with him." 

She nodded and smiled.  "That's fine.  I won't know anything until I talk to my parents anyway.  Maybe I'll invite you on one of the mini-vacations that my parents and me always take.  I think that'd be fun, wouldn't it be? You'd actually get to experience the muggle world instead of just learning about it in muggle studies." 

"I don't even see why he's even taking the class," Draco drawled arrogantly, placing his arm around Harry's shoulders.  It had taken that one rejection and a difficult talk afterwards for their friendship to be mended, but now everything was peachy and Harry was glad for it.  While Hermione was his best friend, it was nice to have another friend that he was close to.  And if there was anyone that understood what life was probably like with Voldemort, it was Draco.  "I think personally that it's a waste of time." 

"It is not!" Hermione exclaimed. 

Draco rolled his eyes and made a point to just ignore her.  It amused Harry to no end how the two of them always seemed to get into spats, though their arguments were more cute than anything.  The way they went at it reminded Harry of a dance.  Too bad they didn't get along better, they might actually become good friends.  Harry suspected the reason that the two of them didn't get along well was because of him.  And yet if he wasn't there, they probably wouldn't even interact.  As if Draco would ever be caught dead talking to a muggleborn if Harry didn't provide him with a good excuse to. 

"I enjoy the muggle studies class," Harry murmured softly.  "I think it's good to study something that you know nothing about." 

"You Ravenclaws and your endless pursuit of knowledge," Draco muttered, but there wasn't any of the trademark Malfoy scorn in his tone.  Harry was really glad that Draco was no longer pursuing him; he'd feel sorry to lose Malfoy's friendship.  It had been hard though, to convince Draco that even though he didn't see Draco in a sexual fashion didn't mean that Harry still didn't want to be friends with him.  It seemed that Draco took rejections in a double-folded way. 

"Is it so bad to pursue knowledge?" Hermione countered. 

"My father will be picking both of us up shortly," Draco announced.  He then pointedly gestured at an excited couple that was waving frantically at Hermione.  "And aren't those your parents, Granger?" 

Hermione gasped and started running off to her parents.  "I'll see you next year, Harry!  Remember to owl!" she cried.  "And take care of yourself!" 

"Good riddance," Draco muttered.

"You really don't hate her as much as you want everyone to believe," Harry remarked wisely. 

Draco sent him a withering look.  "You are insane." 

"Insanely right." 

Draco decided not to deign that response with an answer. 

-

Why did it not surprise Harry to find that Voldemort was not there when he arrived back home?  He had been exuberantly greeted by Nagini, but his response to her had been lacking enthusiasm.  When she had seen that he had no energetic response to her warm welcome to him, she guessed with unfailing accuracy what was bothering him.  It wasn't hard to guess, after all.  It had always been Voldemort in the end that got Harry _truly _emotional about anything.

{He will be back later tonight,} Nagini responded with bemusement.  {He was not pleased to be called away.}

{He promised to be here!} Harry exclaimed like a petulant child.

{He does the best he can,} she chided lightly.  {You forget that he _is a Dark Lord_ and that as the Dark Lord, Tom has responsibilities that he must take are of.}

Harry finally nodded.  He knew that.  He knew that all too well.  {How have things been here while I've been gone?} he asked neutrally.

{Very boring,} she responded.  {All I do is sleep and eat without you here.}

{That is what you do when I'm here,} he teased.

She glared at him.  {That is not all I do!  I talk to you!}

{That is true, but don't you talk to Tom?}

She sighed.  {He has been very busy these past few months.}

{Even for you?} Harry inquired with surprise.

{Even for me,} she answered, glancing at him sideways slyly.  {But not for you, it seems.}

Harry had the decency to blush and it was enough.  It confirmed what Nagini had suspected for the longest time and what she had hoped for the longest time.  Her two loves were going to be loves for each other.  How perfect, she thought, how utterly perfect.

-

When Harry saw Voldemort for the first time in months, he'd felt a surge of desire shoot through his body and had seen the desire in him match the yearning that gleamed dangerously in Voldemort's own eyes.  So they felt the same about each other.  How they had been kept apart for so long and why they hadn't come together sooner, Harry did not know.  It would take too much to separate them now. 

Harry had known that when had come back from Hogwarts that everything would change.  He hadn't known how much would change, only that things would change.  He expected to lose his virginity and do all the fabulous things in the book that Lucius had given to him.  What he got was much more than that.  If he had known what Voldemort was going to propose to him, he would have been even more anxious and nervous than he had been. 

{This is serious.}

{I realize,} Harry responded. 

{The decision is up to you.}

{Did I ever have a choice?} Harry countered. 

{You always have a choice.}

{I don't think I did… or do.}

Voldemort narrowed his eyes.  He had thought he had made it clear that Harry always had a choice.  Had he been mistaken?  {Explain yourself,} he demanded.

{How could I have a choice when no one can compare to you?} Harry whispered softly, the reverence undimmed in his eyes despite the hardships that had taken place with the exhaustion and the arguments in returning to Hogwarts.  Despite all of this, their bond between them was as strong as it ever was.  Voldemort was glad to see this.  If things had been disrupted between them, Voldemort didn't know who else he could blame… but blame himself and he found that unacceptable.  {I fell in love with you before I even truly knew what love was.  What choice did I have but you?} 

{So you love me,} Voldemort stated.

{I love you.} 

{Then you do wish to bond to me for all eternity.}

{I do.}

{Once you make this decision, it cannot ever be reversed,} Voldemort warned, but knew that Harry wasn't the type to go back on a decision once his mind was made up.  When Harry spoke, his word was true.  He had not a way of deceiving his words into meaning something that he did not mean.  He was no Malfoy at manipulation.  {It will stand forever in time and in space.  A bond of souls _cannot_ be erased or unmade.}

{I understand.}

{Then it will happen when you come of age.}  Harry smiled but then his eyes narrowed, narrowed only the slightest of margins but enough for Voldemort to tell that something was wrong.  {Something bothers you,} Voldemort said evenly.  {What is it?} 

{What do you plan to do of Lucius?}

Voldemort smirked.  {What Lucius?}

Harry smiled, _that was answer enough._

-

_A few days later…_

Lucius scowled.  Nothing had turned out as he had hoped. 

Severus pressed his lips together.  Things were as they were meant to be. 

Draco frowned.  Whatever hope he had continued to harbor faded.

Hermione smiled.  Harry looked so happy, it had to be right.

Albus Dumbledore closed his eyes as he saw the doom of whatever faith he had had that he would be able to stop Voldemort and turn the tide.  Oh yes, the tide was turning and he should have seen what power Harry Marvolo had but he had been to blind to try to reach the one boy that could have changed things… and now it was too late. 

"Do you take the Dark Lord of the Realm," said a hushed and revered voice, "Harry Marvolo as your soulmate through time and beyond that?"

"I do." 

"And do you take Harry Marvolo, our revered Dark Lord of the Realm as your soulmate through time and beyond that?" 

"I do." 

"Then so be it." 

There was no clapping, there did not need to be as Voldemort bent his head down and captured his consort's lips.  Of course there were lips that were whispering of why the Dark Lord would wish to take a young wizard… _a young **wizard** _as his consort, but all this made sense when they saw the powerful merging of magic that sprang from them in a furious wave of outpouring magic as their souls bonded together.  It was truly a powerful thing and it made those in attendance take note that this bonding was only going to strengthen He Who Could Not Be Defeated. 

-

_A few years later… _

{You are upset with me.}

{You killed my parents.}

{You love me _unconditionally,_} Voldemort reminded his irate lover.  {You know what webs Dumbledore weaves.} 

{You do not deny what he accuses.}

{I love you more than my life, though I thought love impossible for one such as I before I met you.}

{Romantic darkness.} 

{Yes,} Voldemort hissed, reaching out to Harry only to find Harry withdrawing away from him.  {I had a good reason.} 

{What?} Harry demanded. 

{You.}

Harry shuddered and shivered.  There was something about the way that his lover spoke in parseltongue that got him _too aroused.  _{Me?}

{Yes,} Voldemort agreed, this time his hands managing to cup Harry's face to draw those succulent lips up to him.  {If I had not killed them, I would not have found you.}

{It does not make,} Harry gasped as Voldemort's hands snaked down to grope his groin, {their deaths justified.}

{I think it does.} 

{You are evil.}

{And you love evil,} Voldemort retorted.  {Dumbledore was wrong to go to you.}

{He does not think I am evil.}

{You aren't.}

{Then why is it wrong} Harry countered his mind barely able to think of a response when Voldemort's tongue was working its wicked way downwards, {for Dumbledore to try to get through to me.} 

{Because you are inexplicably mine.}  [NC-17 300 words cut.]

**THE END.******

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**Author's Note:** Thanks for the long road this fanfic has taken.  It ended up actually making it to a conclusion when I didn't think that it would several times.  Thanks for supporting me and getting me to finish this even though I've wanted to quick like 3 or 4 times.  Your reviews did wonders.  Anyway, if you want the cut out scene (if you can't wait for it to go on Inkstain – available in about a week or so -) review and leave your email in the body or your review.  If you don't leave your email in the body of the review I won't forward you the last scene. 

Sorry, no time for response to reviews (cousin's over) so if you're lucky I'll be able to email the NC-17 scene by Sunday night sometime.  (Inkstain should have a full Fallen up sometime next week if you can wait).


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